[Acute and subacute catatonic syndromes with weight loss. Its favorable development with electroconvulsive therapy]

When following a malignant course, acute, sub-acute catatonias generally tend to cause bed-sores, loss of weight, and, within a few months, cachexia, ematiation, and marasmus. In general, they develop a periodical character provided they are adequately treated. What is more noteworthy in cachectic catatonias is a favorable reaction to electro convulsive therapy (ECT) which may be thus considered a principal indication for treatment. This paper presents the case of four catatonic patients with severe loss of weight, that remarkably improved with ECT.