Biomaterial Database

Lorazepam treatment of psychogenic catatonia: an update. 1988

S A Salam, and N Kilzieh

VA Medical Center, Memphis, TN.

Six papers have reported the efficacy of lorazepam in alleviating catatonic symptoms that have psychogenic causes. The authors report five new cases of catatonia; three patients responded favorably and two failed to respond to lorazepam. Investigation of the nonresponders revealed the presence of pernicious anemia in one and postpartum psychosis in the other. These findings demonstrate that lorazepam has an important role in the treatment of catatonic symptoms. Its effects appear to be specific for psychogenic catatonic states and for conditions in which biogenic amines, specifically dopamine and gamma-aminobutyric acid, play a part. The authors stress intramuscular administration of lorazepam for patients in catatonic states because this route provides the psychiatrist with immediate results that assist with early diagnosis and treatment.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008140	Lorazepam	A benzodiazepine used as an anti-anxiety agent with few side effects. It also has hypnotic, anticonvulsant, and considerable sedative properties and has been proposed as a preanesthetic agent.	Apo-Lorazepam,Ativan,Donix,Duralozam,Durazolam,Idalprem,Laubeel,Lorazep Von Ct,Lorazepam Medical,Lorazepam-Neuraxpharm,Lorazepam-Ratiopharm,Novo-Lorazem,Nu-Loraz,Orfidal Wyeth,Sedicepan,Sinestron,Somagerol,Temesta,Tolid,Témesta,WY-4036,Apo Lorazepam,Lorazepam Neuraxpharm,Lorazepam Ratiopharm,Medical, Lorazepam,Novo Lorazem,Nu Loraz,Von Ct, Lorazep,WY 4036,WY4036,Wyeth, Orfidal
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D011602	Psychophysiologic Disorders	A group of disorders characterized by physical symptoms that are affected by emotional factors and involve a single organ system, usually under AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM control. (American Psychiatric Glossary, 1988)	Psychosomatic Disorders,Psychophysiological Disorders,Psychophysiologic Disorder,Psychophysiological Disorder,Psychosomatic Disorder
D011618	Psychotic Disorders	Disorders in which there is a loss of ego boundaries or a gross impairment in reality testing with delusions or prominent hallucinations. (From DSM-IV, 1994)	Psychoses,Psychosis, Brief Reactive,Schizoaffective Disorder,Schizophreniform Disorders,Psychosis,Brief Reactive Psychoses,Brief Reactive Psychosis,Disorder, Psychotic,Disorder, Schizoaffective,Disorder, Schizophreniform,Disorders, Psychotic,Disorders, Schizoaffective,Disorders, Schizophreniform,Psychoses, Brief Reactive,Psychotic Disorder,Reactive Psychoses, Brief,Reactive Psychosis, Brief,Schizoaffective Disorders,Schizophreniform Disorder
D011644	Puerperal Disorders	Disorders or diseases associated with PUERPERIUM, the six-to-eight-week period immediately after PARTURITION in humans.	Disorder, Puerperal,Disorders, Puerperal,Puerperal Disorder
D002389	Catatonia	A neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by one or more of the following essential features: immobility, mutism, negativism (active or passive refusal to follow commands), mannerisms, stereotypies, posturing, grimacing, excitement, echolalia, echopraxia, muscular rigidity, and stupor; sometimes punctuated by sudden violent outbursts, panic, or hallucinations. This condition may be associated with psychiatric illnesses (e.g., SCHIZOPHRENIA; MOOD DISORDERS) or organic disorders (NEUROLEPTIC MALIGNANT SYNDROME; ENCEPHALITIS, etc.). (From DSM-IV, 4th ed, 1994; APA, Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms, 1994)	Catatonia, Malignant,Catatonia, Organic,Lethal Catatonia,Organic Catatonic Disorder,Schizophreniform Catatonia,Catatonia, Lethal,Catatonia, Schizophreniform,Catatonias,Catatonias, Lethal,Catatonias, Malignant,Catatonias, Organic,Catatonias, Schizophreniform,Catatonic Disorder, Organic,Catatonic Disorders, Organic,Lethal Catatonias,Malignant Catatonia,Malignant Catatonias,Organic Catatonia,Organic Catatonias,Organic Catatonic Disorders,Schizophreniform Catatonias
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man