Ativan which is a benzodiazepine helps catatonia by way of being and working as positive allosteric modulators of GABA-A receptors and will correct deficient GABA-ergic function in the orbitofrontal cortex.
The presumed mechanism of action for benzodiazepines in catatonia is reduction in hyperactivation of the orbitofrontal cortex and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex leading downstream to a regularization of the orbitofrontal cortex activity.
Catatonia is not brain damage although it is a disorder that can disrupt how your brain works and affect how you respond to the world around you.
Catatonia is a challenging and heterogeneous neuropsychiatric syndrome of motor, affective and behavioral dysregulation which has been associated with multiple disorders such as structural brain lesions, systemic diseases, and psychiatric disorders.
Catatonia is sometimes caused by trauma although it can also be caused by fear and certain medications such as those used to treat mental illnesses.
Catatonia feels like excessive movement and agitated behavior and also stupors that means you can't move, speak or even respond to stimuli.
If catatonia is left untreated it can lead to potentially serious and life threatening complications that can become fatal.
Catatonia is considered to be very serious as it can be potentially fatal and cause potentially fatal complications if left untreated.
Potential fatal complications from catatonia include pulmonary embolism, neuroleptic malignant syndrome and infection.
Catatonia is a medical emergency especially if it's from medications that are used to treat mental illnesses.
If you suspect catatonia you should seek medical attention as it's a medical emergency that could become life threatening.
Catatonia does require hospitalization as there is a risk of serious complications.
Catatonia can be fatal in rare cases although most cases of catatonia are not fatal by itself except for malignant catatonia.
Catatonia though is associated with an increased risk of death from conditions which happen from not moving much like pneumonia and pulmonary embolism.
You can fix catatonia in most cases with medications such as benzodiazepines or electroconvulsive therapy.
However failure to recognize and properly treat the catatonia can lead to very poor outcomes and sometimes can be fatal if it's malignant catatonia.
The best treatment for catatonia is medication known as Benzodiazepines or Lorazepam which is safe and very effective and the primary medication used for treating catatonia.
Other medications that are sometimes used for treatment of catatonia include zolpidem, diazepam and clonazepam.
People come out of catatonia through treatment with either electroconvulsive therapy or medications or both.
Other treatments for catatonia are transcranial magnetic stimulation.
Catatonic people are aware although they have a lack of meaningful responses to external stimuli they do still have awareness and most catatonic people are able to recall their catatonic state in detail once they've recovered.
You can tell if someone is catatonic by the signs and symptoms of being catatonic which include stupor, catalepsy, waxy flexibility, mutism, negativism, posturing, mannerisms, stereotypy, agitation not influenced by external stimuli, grimacing, echolalia and echopraxia.
For the diagnoses of catatonia at least 3 of the above symptoms of catatonia must be present.
Conditions that can mimic catatonia are Akinetic Parkinson Disease, stiff person syndrome, malignant hyperthermia, selective mutism and conversion disorder.
The three stages of catatonia are lack of movement and communication as well as agitation and confusion.
A catatonic state lasts from a few hours to a weeks although catatonic states can last months or even years and some people also have reoccurring episodes of catatonia.
Catatonia happens most often in people that have mood disorders or psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression but you can have catatonia without any of these disorders.
The triggers of catatonia are psychotic disorders, depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
A 3rd of people that are catatonic also have bipolar disorder.
When a person is catatonic it means the person is in a state in which they are awake but they don't seem to respond to other people and their environment.
Catatonia can affect a person's movement, behavior as well as speech in several different ways.
Catatonia can also have several different causes.
The exact physiological causes of catatonia and depression are not clear. However, traumatic events, a person's family history, and changes in brain functioning may all play a part.
Doctors can effectively treat most cases of catatonia with a combination of benzodiazepines and electroconvulsive therapy.
Catatonia can last anywhere from a few hours to weeks, months or even years.
Some people have reoccurring episodes.
Catatonia is a collection of symptoms affecting movement and behavior.
Someone with catatonia may not speak (mutism), move (immobility), or appear rigid.
The symptoms of someone being catatonic include.
Not responding to other people or their environment.
Not speaking.
Holding their body in an unusual position.
Resisting people who try to adjust their body.
Agitation.
Repetitive, seemingly meaningless movement.
Mimicking someone else's speech.
Mimicking someone else's movements.
Catatonia is often treated with a medication called lorazepam.
Lorazepam is a benzodiazepine, which is a type of sedative medication.
This means that it helps to slow down the body and brain and relax the muscles.