When a child does not speak, this may be because there is no wish to do so (elective or selective mutism), or the result of lesions in the brain, particularly in the posterior fossa. The characteristics of the former children are described, especially their shyness; and it is emphasized that mild forms are quite common and a de®nitive diagnosis should only be made if the condition is signi®cant...

We describe a 72-year-old man who developed akinetic mutism following a cerebrovascular accident involving his right internal watershed area and responded well to dopaminergic agonists. We discuss this rare condition and the unusual unilateral location of the lesion.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE WORK Children affected by selective mutism don't speak in contexts that are unfamiliar to them or in which speaking is expected or required (e.g. school, kindergarten…). Such disorder interferes with the child's normal activities, may have invalidating consequences in the long run if left untreated, is associated to anxious conditions and is considered hard to treat. C...

OBJECTIVES The efficacy of a partial agonist for the dopamine D2 receptor, aripiprazole, for catatonia in schizophrenia has been reported. METHODS We report distinct clinical courses in challenging aripiprazole to treat residual mutism after severe catatonic symptoms improved. RESULTS In the first case, mutism was successfully treated when the patient was switched from olanzapine to aripipr...

Acquired neurologic mutism in childhood is a complex phenomenon occurring in various neurologic conditions with different etiologies. We illustrate its clinical heterogeneity as reflected in a wide range of concomitant behavioral features by presenting 4 children with acquired neurologic mutism. Neuropsychologic examinations revealed differential patterns of defective or preserved phonation, or...