Catatonia

Leopold Bellack described the derivation of the term from the Greek roots (meaning "down") and(meaning "tension" or "tone"). Catatonia was first categorically studied in 1854 by Karl Kahlbaum. Historically, catatonia was considered a subtype of schizophrenia. Catatonia is now understood to be a neuropsychiatric syndrome with diverse etiologies, ranging from primary psychiatric disorders to neurological and medical conditions, characterized by a range of motor, behavioral, and affective abnormalities that can be potentially fatal if untreated. Recent developments have enhanced our understanding of its epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnostic criteria, and treatment modalities. Including catatonia as an independent diagnosis in the , further highlights its clinical significance.