Catatonia is a neuropsychiatric syndrome described by Karl Ludwig Kahl
baum in 1874. Based on Kahlbaum's own description and Carl Wernicke's
hypothesis about the mechanism of catatonia, we describe two types of
catatonic domain: the akinetic motality psychosis, which is characteri
zed by rigid immobility, fixed gaze, lack of blink and cogwheel rigidi
ty, and catatonia sensu strictu, which is characterized by spasms, ite
rations and verbigerations. The loss of motility allows the 'hypobulic
levels' described by Kretschmer in 1920, which consist of aggressive
acts, furious shouting, hyperactivity and orality, to break through. T
hese behaviours are present in the hyperkinetic variant of catatonia a
nd may result from a reduction of dopaminergic innervation and the rel
ease of limbic and neocortical mechanisms containing behavioural progr
ammes.