Treatment of catatonia with amantadine.

Catatonia is an episodic syndrome characterized by specific affective, behavioral, and motor symptoms and thought to result from regional abnormalities in neurotransmitter function. Although generally thought to represent a manifestation of schizophrenia or depression, there is strong evidence that it may represent a distinct entity, caused by a number of psychogenic, infectious, iatrogenic, and neurological conditions. The morbidity associated with catatonia is significant, and, in some cases, the condition may be life threatening.