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Scientific article
English

A catatonic syndrome in a postpartum major depressive episode with psychotic features

Contributors

Gervasoni, Nicola; Aubry, Jean-Michel

Published in

Schweizer Archiv für Neurologie und Psychiatrie, vol. 159, no. 6, p. 394-396

Publication date

2008

Abstract

It has been recognised that catatonic symptoms can be associated not only with schizophrenia but also with affective disorders. Catatonic syndromes during postpartum affective episodes have rarely been described. We report a female patient suffering from recurrent depression with a diagnosis of postpartum major depressive episode with psychotic features who developed a catatonic syndrome. Her family history is positive for recurrent depressive disorder. She reported that the severe psychomotor retardation and mutism had a strong negative impact on her ability to care for her child. The administration of intravenous lorazepam led to a rapid improvement in the catatonic syndrome. Our case highlights the need for clinicians to be on the watch for the emergence of a catatonic syndrome, not only in cases of psychosis but also in cases of affective disorders, especially during the postpartum period.

Keywords

  • Catatonic syndrome
  • Recurrent major depressive disorder
  • Postpartum onset
  • Lorazepam

UNIGE affiliation entities

UNIGE research groups

Citation (ISO format)

GERVASONI, Nicola, AUBRY, Jean-Michel. A catatonic syndrome in a postpartum major depressive episode with psychotic features. In: Schweizer Archiv für Neurologie und Psychiatrie, 2008, vol. 159, n° 6, p. 394–396.

Main files (1)

Article (Accepted version)

Identifiers

  • PID : unige:1783

Additional URL for this publication

http://www.sanp.ch/pdf/2008/2008-06/2008-06-044.PDF

Journal ISSN

0258-7661
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Technical informations

Creation

27/05/2009 14:49:00

First validation

27/05/2009 14:49:00

Update

26/03/2026 10:39:08

Status update

26/03/2026 10:39:08

Last indexation

26/03/2026 10:44:08
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