RESUMEN
Background: In the recent years, several studies have shown a correlation between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and catatonia. It is also known that both conditions are found to be associated with mood disorders. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between autistic traits and catatonic symptoms, as well as the potential mediating role of mood disorder spectrum in the relationship between them. Methods: The total sample of 514 subjects was composed by four diagnostic groups, composed by patients affected by catatonia (CTN), borderline personality disorder (BPD), major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy controls (HC). Subjects were assessed with the SCID-5-RV, the Adult Autism Subthreshold Spectrum (AdAS Spectrum) and the Catatonia Spectrum (CS) and the Mood Spectrum Self-Report (MOODS-SR). Statistical analyses included Pearson's coefficient calculation, multiple linear regression, and mediation analysis. Results: all the correlations appear to be strongly positive and significant with the strongest coefficient emerging between AdAS Spectrum total score and CS total score (r = 0.762, p < 0.001). The Mediation Analysis showed that AdAS Spectrum total score showed a significant indirect effect on CS total score through MOODS-SR total score (b = 0.168, 95% bootstrapped CI [0.127:0.207]). Conclusion: The present study highlights the presence of a mediating role of the mood disorder spectrum in the relationship between autistic traits and the catatonia spectrum.
RESUMEN
Background: Recent literature has highlighted that catatonia may be more prevalent among psychiatric patients than previously thought, beginning from autism spectrum disorders (ASD), for which it has been suggested to represent a severe late consequence, but also among individuals with mood disorders and borderline personality disorder (BPD). Interestingly, one critical point shared by these conditions is the increased risk of suicidality. The aim of this study was to evaluate how the presence and the prevalence of catatonic symptoms may shape and correlate with suicidal risk in a sample of individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) or BPD. Methods: We recruited two clinical samples of subjects (BPD and MDD) and a control group without a diagnosis according to DSM-5 (CTL). Subjects were assessed with the catatonia spectrum (CS) and the MOODS-SR for evaluating suicidality. Results: In the total sample, suicidality score was significantly and positively correlated with all CS domains and CS total score. Correlation and regression analyses highlighted specific patterns of association among Catatonia spectrum domains and suicidality in the MDD and BPD group and in the total sample. Conclusion: In both disorders, higher catatonic traits are linked to higher suicidal tendencies, confirming the high risk of suicide for this population. However, different patterns of association between catatonic symptoms and suicidality were highlighted in the two disorders.
RESUMEN
Aim: A growing body of literature has demonstrated the utility of a dimensional perspective on mental disorders. The current study aims to determine the psychometric properties of the Catatonia Spectrum (CS), a new questionnaire specifically tailored to assess the spectrum of catatonia, from full blown forms to subthreshold ones. Methods: 86 adults with at least three symptom criteria for catatonia according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), 81 adults affected by borderline personality disorder (BPD), 104 adults with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD), and 105 subjects without mental disorders (CTL), were recruited from six Italian University Departments of Psychiatry and administered the: Bush-Francis Catatonia Rating Scale (BFCRS), Bush-Francis Catatonia Screening Instrument (BFCSI), and CS. Results: CS scale demonstrated a high level of internal consistency and excellent test-retest reliability for total and domain scores. CS domain scores were positively and significantly correlated with each other (p < 0.001) with Pearson's coefficients ranging from 0.337 to 0.663. All the CS domain scores were highly correlated with the CS total score. The correlation coefficients between CS and alternative measures of catatonia appeared all significant and positive. Significant differences among diagnostic groups on both CS domains and total scores were found. CS total scores increased significantly and progressively from the CTL, to the MDD and the BDP group, up to the catatonia group, which reported the highest value. Conclusion: The CS showed excellent internal consistency and test-retest reliability and strong convergent validity with alternative dimensional measures of catatonia. The questionnaire performed differently across the four diagnostic groups, with an increasing score gradient from healthy controls to patients with MDD, BPD and up to the catatonia group.