Catatonic syndrome in adolescence

Catatonic syndromes in patients under 18 appear sporadically in literature. It is probable that its frequency in the clinic is greater than is recognised. On the basis of study and treatment of an adolescent in the acute Unit in our service, an exhaustive revision of literature was realized. The most relevant conclusions that we can gather are the following: 1) the catatonic syndromes in adolescence obey a multitude of psychiatric and organic causes which make a minicule study which rules out somatic associated pathology obligatory; 2) among the psychiatric forms of catatonic syndrome in adolescence unusual pictures of unspecific psychosis may predominate although schizophrenia or affective pathologies are not infrequent together with unspecific psychoses; somatic ethiology (medical diseases or induced substances) is the most frequent; 3) benzodiazepines and ECT appear to be efficient and safe treatment for catatony in adolescents although, they require more investigation; 4) it is especially important to distinguish catatonic syndromes provoked by neuroleptics from those forms of malignant catatony associated with psychotic clinical pictures; 5) the studies realized among these populations are very scarce. It is necessary to look deeper into the psychotic psychopathology of infancy and adolescence and specifically in the infant-juvenile catatonic syndromes. The lack of clinical studies implied difficulties in recognising and adequate treatment of juvenile catatonic syndromes.