Transient release reflexes in catonic schizophrenia.

This case report describes the presence of grasp reflex and palmomental reflex as a state dependant phenomenon in a 23 year old patient with catatonic schizophrenia. A transitory disturbance of frontal lobe function is proposed as the probable mechanism. The need to study the release reflexes as an effort to delineate a neurological "sub group" of schizophrenia is suggested.