Impairment in visual-spatial function in catatonia: a neuropsychological investigation

Catatonia is a psychomotor syndrome with motor and behavioral abnormalities which may be due to alterations in fronto-parietal cortical function. We t herefore investigated neuropsychological tasks (attention, executive, visua l-spatial, working memory) associated with frontal and parietal cortical fu nction. Thirteen catatonic patients, diagnosed as catatonic according to cr iteria by Rosebush and Bush, were compared with 13 psychiatric non-catatoni c controls (matched with regard to underlying psychiatric diagnosis, age, s ex, and medication), and 13 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Catatoni cs showed significantly poorer performances and different neuropsychologica l intercorrelation patterns in visual-spatial object perception (VOSPobject ) than psychiatric and healthy controls. In addition, we found significant correlations between catatonic symptoms, visual-spatial abilities, and atte ntional measures (i.e., d2, CWI). Catatonia was characterized by specific v isual-spatial deficits which are related to attentional abilities and right parietal cortical function. The data suggest attentional-motor and fronto- parietal dysfunction in catatonia, a conclusion which should be considered as preliminary, however, due to the small sample size. (C) 1999 Elsevier Sc ience B.V. All rights reserved.