Mistaken diagnosis of psychogenic gait disorder in a man with status cataplecticus ("limp man syndrome").

We report on a 45-year-old man with a history of multiple psychiatric admissions for a gait disorder and episodic weakness thought to be psychogenic who was subsequently diagnosed with status cataplecticus due to narcolepsy. The gait difficulties resolved with venlafaxine. This case demonstrates that status cataplecticus can be misdiagnosed as a psychogenic gait disorder. Copyright 2004 Movement Disorder Society