Catatonia in Autism

Catatonia in autistic individuals is characterized by significant motor abnormalities, which can include immobility, rigid posturing, repetitive or stereotypic movements, and a markedly reduced responsiveness to external stimuli.

Catatonia in autism can present through various symptoms:

• Mutism: The inability to speak, which may be due to disruptions in neural circuits involving speech production and motor planning.
• Echolalia: The repetition of words or phrases, potentially linked to dysregulation in the neural pathways associated with language processing and executive function.
• Stereotypic Movements: Repetitive, non-functional movements that may involve neural dysfunctions in the basal ganglia and motor cortex.
• Posturing: The adoption and maintenance of unusual body positions, which could indicate abnormalities in motor planning and proprioceptive feedback systems.
• Stupor: A state of severe unresponsiveness, possibly associated with altered activity in the thalamocortical and limbic systems, affecting consciousness and responsiveness.

These manifestations suggest complex interactions between various neural systems, including the motor cortex, basal ganglia, cerebellum, and prefrontal cortex. Understanding the neural underpinnings of catatonia in autism can inform the development of targeted therapeutic interventions.

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Plain Language Version

Catatonia in Autism: What You Need to Know

Catatonia in autistic people means having big problems during a catatonia episode with movement  and responding to the world around them. This can look like:

• Not Speaking (Mutism): Some autistic people with catatonia can't talk.
• Repeating Words (Echolalia): They might repeat words or phrases they hear.
• Repetitive Movements (Stereotypic Movements): They might move in the same way over and over.
• Holding Strange Positions (Posturing): They might stay in unusual body positions for a long time.
• Not Responding (Stupor): They might not respond to things happening around them.

These symptoms show that there are problems with how their brain controls movement and responds to the environment. Understanding these issues can help us find better ways to support and treat autistic people with catatonia.

Related Terms: A Chara ,    Allistic,    Aspie,    Atypical,  Autistic Burnout,   Autistic Inertia,  Catatonia,   Crip Time,   Critical Disability Studies,   Disability Justice Movement,  Disability Rights Movement,   Disability Eugenics,   Feeble-Minded,   Imbecile,   Inspiration Porn,  Masking/Camoflauging,   Microaggressions,   Neurominority,   Ofa Ahi Latu,   R-Word,   Savant,   Spoon Theory,   Takiwatanga,  Trains,  Ubuntu,    Ugly Laws,   Upstander