Catatonia on the Consultation Liaison Service & Other Clinical Settings

Catatonia is an interesting neuropsychiatric syndrome. It resides at the intersection of psychiatry and neurology. For far too long it has been a curious subtype of schizophrenia or an infrequent observation; but catatonia is not rare. It can be found within the clinical domains of many branches of medicine. Catatonia is misunderstood. Catatonic signs and symptoms are often interpreted as volitional when they are not. These patients are given attention because they often respond favorably to treatment. It can be found in historical cohorts, Catatonia liaison settings, developmental disorder clinics and medical units. Now with the advent of DSM-5, Catatonia has a home of its own. DSM-5 and ICD-10 now identify Catatonia as a primary psychiatric disorder, a primary medical disorder and the primary presentation of a long list of psychiatric, neurological and medical conditions. The screening and identification of catatonia is very important in consultation liaison and other clinical settings. This book offers new methods to detect and diagnose Catatonia. The authors have brought together researchers, clinicians and trainees from a variety of clinical disciplines to contribute to this book. In fact, this book is not a perfunctory review of catatonia. It brings forth new ideas: the screening of Catatonia, new cases of Catatonia and new ways of conceptualising Catatonia in DSM-5 and ICD-10. This is the theme presented for a fresh approach to the diagnosis and treatment of Catatonia in non-psychiatric settings for the clinical syndrome that has been described since antiquity. This book is recommended to any clinician, nurse, research student or team member who will encounter patients with Catatonia. This includes most of those working in emergency rooms, medical and surgical units, child and adolescent clinics and nursing homes. The authors think that the reader will find this book intriguing, straightforward and offering promise to the care of patients with Catatonia.