Conclusions
There remain significant limitations in our knowledge of how catatonia presents in old age. In this case report, the unsuccessful treatment of catatonia in an elderly patient highlights several clinical implications for this age group. We recommend early consideration of catatonia in old-age mental health services and acute medical services if relevant clinical features are present. Once catatonia has been recognized, it is important to ensure the early use of ECT owing to reduced tolerability of benzodiazepines in the elderly, as we know that prompt treatment improves outcomes in this age group. We recommend that further exploration of the presentation, course, and treatment of catatonia in the elderly is essential to improve clinical outcomes in this population.
Abbreviations
CT: Computed tomography; ECT: Electroconvulsive therapy; GABA: Gammaaminobutyric acid; GP: General practitioner; MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the family of this patient for their permission to publish this article.
Funding
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Availability of data and materials
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Declarations
Ethics approval and consent to participate
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Consent for publication
Written informed consent was obtained from the patient's next of kin for publication of this case report and any accompanying images. A copy of the written consent is available for review by the Editor-in-Chief of this journal.
J Med Case Reports. 2021;15(406) © 2021 BioMed Central, Ltd.
