Mutism

Description:

Mutism (Latin MUtus - dumbness) - impossibility to speak at safety of organs of articulation.

Mutism symptoms:

Typically acute beginning of a disease. In this case the mutism can be considered as display of hysterical neurosis which usually develops in those cases if the patient saw the patient with motor aphasia earlier, read or heard about similar frustration. Suffering from a hysterical mutism cannot speak in a whisper though the movements of lips and language at them are completely kept. They well understand an oral and written language, can write, without doing at the same time any attempts to say at least some sounds. Such patients keep in touch with people around by means of gestures and a mimicry. At an objective research often reveal anesthesia or a hypesthesia of a soft palate and a throat, language and lips. Patients with a hysterical mutism do not look upset with the frustration which is available for them that sharply distinguishes them from patients with organic alalias. Difficulties of differential diagnosis with organic frustration are aggravated in case of development of neurotic disturbances on the basis of the existing organic symptoms. If, along with inability to speak, total loss of hearing with preservation of ability of the patient to express by means of the letter comes to light, speak about a surdomutism (Latin of surdus - the deaf, mutus - dumbness) - a surdomutism. The mutism, besides, can meet at mental disorders - a depressive, catatonic and psychogenic stupor, at rough apato-abulichesky frustration.

Mutism reasons:

The mental injuries playing a role of a superstrong irritant for the weakened cells of a cerebral cortex are the most frequent origin of a mutism. It is necessary to distinguish a functional mutism from an organic, or so-called akinetic mutism. This term designate the special state which is shown in lack of active movements and the speech owing to defeat (an injury, a stroke, a tumor) of the activating departments of the reticular formation located in an oral part of a brainstem at safety of consciousness. Clinical manifestations of this syndrome consider as most expressed insufficiency of motivation to the speech.

Treatment of the Mutism:

The hysterical mutism has functional, reversible character since it is caused by ultraboundary braking of neurons of the speech centers. The psychoinjury, a severe stress can not only cause a hysterical mutism, but also remove it. Apply psychotherapy, tranquilizers to treatment of a hysterical mutism.