Catatonia in first-episode psychosis: prevalence and psychopathological association

First-episode psychosis (FEP) is a critical phase in psychotic disorders where early intervention significantly influences long-term outcomes. Catatonia, characterised by motor, behavioural, and psychological abnormalities, is an under-recognised aspect of FEP.

This study examines catatonia prevalence in affective and non-affective FEP, its role as a severity indicator across psychopathological domains, its correlations with other symptoms and its association with clinical syndromes.

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 58 FEP patients (38 females, 20 males) aged 15-55 years. Of those, 40 were antipsychotic-naive, and 18 had minimal prior antipsychotic exposure. Participants were recruited from acute psychiatric units. Catatonia was assessed using the Bush Francis Catatonia Rating Scale (BFCRS), while psychopathology was evaluated with the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS), Calgary Depression Scale (CDS) and Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS). Data analysis included descriptive statistics, t-tests, X² tests, and multivariable regression using SPSS version 25 for Windows.

Catatonic signs were identified in 22.4% of cases based on the Bush Francis Catatonia Screening Instrument (BFCSI) criteria (BFCSI-positive group, defined as ≥2 signs present for over 24 h), indicating potential catatonia. Prevalence varied by criteria: 13.8% (DSM-IV), 10.3% (Fink and Taylor), 10.38% (ICD-11) and 8.6% (DSM-5). Catatonic patients had more years of education and significantly higher PANSS totals, Emsley negative, disorganised, excited, and anxiety scores. Catatonic signs moderately correlated with Emsley disorganised scores. Regression analysis identified PANSS total and Emsley domain scores as significant predictors of catatonia severity.

Catatonia is notably prevalent in FEP and associated with severe psychopathology, particularly in negative and disorganised domains. These findings underscore the importance of improving recognition of catatonia in early psychosis. Larger longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these findings and explore treatment implications.