Catalepsy is a condition characterized by muscular rigidity, fixity of posture and decreased sensitivity to pain.Professionals once believed this disorder was the result of (controllable) mental states that had no basis in physiology. Researchers now know, however, that catalepsy does not appear of its own accord; instead, it often manifests as one in a constellation of symptoms caused by disorders that have physical causes. Catalepsy can be produced by conditions as varied as Parkinson's disease and epilepsy, for example. Catalepsy is also a characteristic symptom of cocaine withdrawal, and schizophrenia treatment with typical anti-psychotics.Symptoms include: rigid body, rigid limbs, limbs staying in same position when moved, no response, loss of muscle control, and slowing down of bodily functions, such as breathing.Sanberg PR, Bunsey MD, Giordano M, Norman AB. (1998). The catalepsy test: its ups and downs. [1] Retrieved August 22, 2006In some cases, isolated cataleptic instances

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalepsy
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License

No comments. Do you want to be first?

Login or Signup to leave a comment