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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Behavioral Characterization of Pentylenetetrazole-induced Seizures: Moving Beyond the Racine Scale

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Published on: July 8, 2025

Pregnancy and malignant catatonia.

Mariana Espínola-Nadurille¹, Jesus Ramírez-Bermúdez, Gregory L Fricchione

¹Neuropsychiatry Unit, National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Mexico City 14269, Mexico. menadu2002@yahoo.com.mx

General Hospital Psychiatry

|December 27, 2006

Summary

Malignant catatonia during pregnancy is a critical psychiatric emergency. This case highlights successful treatment with electroconvulsive therapy and lorazepam for a pregnant patient experiencing severe antipsychotic adverse reactions.

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Area of Science:

Psychiatry
Obstetrics
Pharmacology

Background:

Malignant catatonia is a rare but life-threatening psychiatric emergency.
Pregnancy presents unique challenges for managing psychiatric conditions and their treatments.

Observation:

A pregnant woman experienced a first psychotic episode with catatonic features.
She developed autonomic abnormalities and elevated creatinine phosphokinase levels.
These symptoms were linked to a severe adverse reaction to antipsychotic medication.

Findings:

The patient showed significant improvement with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
Lorazepam also proved effective in managing her condition.
This suggests a viable treatment approach for similar cases.

Implications:

This case underscores the importance of vigilant monitoring for adverse drug reactions in pregnant psychiatric patients.
It highlights the safety and efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy and lorazepam in managing malignant catatonia during pregnancy.
Further research may explore optimal pharmacotherapy and non-pharmacological interventions in this population.