Treatment of catatonia with olanzapine and amantadine.
Catatonia is a disorder characterized by mutism, posturing, echophenomena, and negativism. The preferred treatment for non-malignant catatonia is benzodiazepines, which often produce a reduction in symptoms within 24 hours. Presented here is a case report of a 19-year-old woman appearing in a catatonic state that did not respond to lorazepam. On the basis of emerging evidence that atypical antipsychotics and weak N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptor-antagonists may effectively treat catatonia, we treated our patient with olanzapine and amantadine, which resulted in a dramatic reduction in her catatonic symptoms.
Babington
Parker W
PW
Eastern Virginia Medical School, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA.
Spiegel
David R
DR
D000328:Adult; D000547:Amantadine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000150:complications; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002389:Catatonia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015259:Dopamine Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D018757:GABA Modulators / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008140:Lorazepam / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000077152:Olanzapine; D009949:Orientation / Q000187:drug effects; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D015259:Dopamine Agents; D018757:GABA Modulators; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D000547:Amantadine; D000077152:Olanzapine; D008140:Lorazepam