The catatonia conundrum: controversies and contradictions

Although catatonia is known to psychiatrists for more than a century, it is still poorly understood, often under recognized, have inspired debate and criticism about nosological status of the catatonic syndrome in recent times without reaching its conclusion. It can present with a number of psychiatric and medical illnesses and is easily treatable, though treatment response varies depending upon the underlying condition and can lead on to a multitude of complications, if not treated. Some issues are more than forty catatonic signs are available to scientific audience for diagnosis; threshold number for labelling varies according to the nosological system followed and the underlying condition; and mood stabilizers like carbamazepine and lithium are helpful in some cases of idiopathic periodic catatonia. Researchers have been asking for a separate diagnostic category for catatonia since long and the debate has gained pace over the last few years, with new editions of both DSM and ICD coming up. Therefore, this paper looks at the controversies associated with the diagnosis and classification of catatonia, the arguments and counter-arguments and future directions, in crisp.