Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Methylphenidate in amytal-resistant mutism.

L H Frost1

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, Montreal General Hospital, Quebec, Canada.

Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
|April 1, 1989
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same journal

Cardiometabolic Treatment Gap in Routine Psychiatric Care: A Cross-Sectional Study of 1553 Patients.

Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica·2026
Same journal

Reevaluating the Role of ADHD Perceptions in Medication Continuation: Methodological and Interpretative Considerations.

Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica·2026
Same journal

AI-Associated Psychotic Phenomena: Collect Before You Classify.

Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica·2026
Same journal

Developmental Trauma as a Prognostic Factor for Later Psychotic Disorder in an Adolescent Clinical Cohort: A 20-Year Follow Up Study.

Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica·2026
Same journal

The Prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea in Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis.

Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica·2026
Same journal

Use of Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists and the Associated Risk of Hospitalisation in Bipolar Disorder, From a Nationwide Cohort, 2009-2024.

Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica·2026

Methylphenidate effectively treated catatonic schizophrenia mutism when Amytal failed, enabling patient evaluation and temporary recovery. This suggests distinct psychopharmacological subtypes of catatonic mutism may exist.

Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry
  • Neuroscience
  • Clinical Pharmacology

Background:

  • Catatonia is a complex neuropsychiatric syndrome characterized by motor abnormalities and behavioral disturbances.
  • Mutism is a common and challenging symptom in catatonic schizophrenia, often hindering clinical assessment and treatment.
  • Amytal (amobarbital) has been historically used to evaluate and treat catatonic symptoms, but its efficacy is not universal.

Observation:

  • A patient with catatonic schizophrenia presented with severe mutism unresponsive to Amytal treatment.
  • Administration of methylphenidate resulted in the elimination of mutism in this patient.
  • The patient exhibited temporary improvements in eating, self-care, and social interaction following methylphenidate administration.

Findings:

Related Experiment Videos

  • Methylphenidate demonstrated efficacy in resolving mutism in a catatonic schizophrenic patient.
  • The patient's response to methylphenidate allowed for a more adequate clinical evaluation.
  • Temporary improvements in essential daily functions were observed post-methylphenidate treatment.

    • Implications:

    • Methylphenidate may serve as a valuable tool in the clinical evaluation of mute patients with catatonic schizophrenia, particularly those refractory to Amytal.
    • The differential response to Amytal and methylphenidate suggests the potential existence of at least two distinct psychopharmacological subtypes of catatonic mutism.
    • Further research into these potential subtypes could lead to more targeted and effective treatment strategies for catatonia.