Treatment of catatonia with olanzapine and amantadine

Psychosomatics. 2007 Nov-Dec;48(6):534-6. doi: 10.1176/appi.psy.48.6.534.

Abstract

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.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Amantadine / therapeutic use*
  • Autistic Disorder / complications
  • Benzodiazepines / therapeutic use*
  • Catatonia / diagnosis
  • Catatonia / drug therapy*
  • Catatonia / etiology
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Dopamine Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Female
  • GABA Modulators / administration & dosage
  • Humans
  • Lorazepam / administration & dosage
  • Olanzapine
  • Orientation / drug effects
  • Schizophrenia / complications
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Dopamine Agents
  • GABA Modulators
  • Benzodiazepines
  • Amantadine
  • Olanzapine
  • Lorazepam