Catatonia is best described as:

• A. A motor abnormality with stupor, mutism, negativism, rigidity, or posturing.
• B. A persistent mood disturbance with elevated mood only.
• C. A cognitive impairment limited to memory.
• D. A sensory processing dysfunction.

Answer: (A)

Catatonia is a psychomotor syndrome, defined by marked abnormalities in movement and responsiveness. The most characteristic signs are a motor pattern that can include stupor (little or no movement or speech), mutism, negativism (opposition or resistance to instructions), rigidity, and posturing. These features together capture the core motor and behavioral presentation of catatonia, which is why this option is the best description.

The other statements describe different kinds of problems—an elevated mood point to mania, a memory-focused cognitive impairment points to an amnestic or cognitive disorder, and a sensory processing dysfunction concerns how sensory information is handled. None of those describe the primary motor and behavioral disturbance that defines catatonia.