What characterizes catatonia in mental health contexts?

Catatonia is characterized by marked psychomotor disturbances, which can manifest as either a decrease in motor activity—such as stupor, immobility, or a lack of response to external stimuli—or an increase, which may present as excessive and purposeless movements. This abnormal motor behavior can result in various physical states, including the inability to move or responding inappropriately to stimuli, which encapsulates the essence of catatonia.

The condition can be seen in certain psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, mood disorders, and certain medical conditions, and can include features like waxy flexibility, stereotypy, and echopraxia, highlighting the complexity of motor responses involved in catatonia.

This multifaceted nature of psychomotor symptoms is what distinguishes option B as the correct answer, reflecting the dual potential for both decreased and excessive motor activity within the context of catatonia. The other options misrepresent the characteristics associated with catatonia, either by suggesting a consistent state of mood and energy or by inaccurately depicting the nature of motor activity.