KAHLBAUM,KARL,LUDWIG CONCEPT OF CATATONIA

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.