Exploring seasonality in catatonia diagnosis: Evidence from a large-scale population study

• Published in: Psychiatry research 2024-01, Vol.331, p.115652-115652, Article 115652
• Main Authors: Mastellari, Tomas, Saint-Dizier, Chloé, Fovet, Thomas, Geoffroy, Pierre-Alexis, Rogers, Jonathan, Lamer, Antoine, Amad, Ali
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Catatonia; Catatonia - diagnosis; Catatonia - epidemiology; Catatonia - psychology; Catatonic syndrome; Diagnosis of catatonia; Humans; London; Mood Disorders - epidemiology; Onset of catatonia; Schizophrenia - complications; Schizophrenia - diagnosis; Schizophrenia - epidemiology; Seasonality; Seasons; Syndrome
• ISSN: 0165-1781; 1872-7123
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115652

•Hospitalisations for catatonia in metropolitan France, from 2015 to 2022 show a seasonal pattern, with two peaks of admissions in March and around September–October.•In patients suffering with mood disorders, admissions for catatonia were more frequent in March and July.•In patients suffering with schizophrenia, no seasonal pattern was found. Catatonia is a severe psychomotor syndrome mainly associated with psychiatric disorders, such as mood disorders and schizophrenia. Seasonal patterns have been described for these psychiatric disorders, and a previous study conducted in South London showed for the first time a seasonal pattern in the onset of catatonia. In this study, we aim to extend those findings to a larger national sample of patients admitted to French metropolitan hospitals, between 2015 and 2022, and to perform subgroup analyses by the main associated psychiatric disorder. A total of 6225 patients diagnosed with catatonia were included. A seasonal pattern for catatonia diagnosis was described, using cosinor models. Two peaks of diagnoses for catatonic cases were described in March and around September–October. Depending on the associated psychiatric disorder, the seasonality of catatonia diagnosis differed. In patients suffering with mood disorders, peaks of catatonia diagnosis were found in March and July. For patients suffering with schizophrenia, no seasonal pattern was found.