Pathological Strength States

[Ceke2002]

What actually causes them, like what's the brain/body mechanism at play?

For example*: A frail 76 year old woman, admitted to hospital for delirium on top of a diagnosis of mixed dementia, suddenly develops the strength to resist security guards after a code black imminent risk to patient or staff call, necessitating the need for chemical restraint with IM Haldol+Benzo - and she remains in a heightened state of agitation for several hours despite sedation.

What would be happening brain wise here? Are there different causes of these sorts of pathological states of strength depending on underlying pathology, or is it the same brain path ways at work each time?

(* Just for full disclosure, the example is from a recent event involving a family member. I'm not looking for medical advice, they are already being well looked after by an excellent team of Doctors and Nurses in a residential aged care facility. I'm just curious as to how the whole "Can suddenly fend off strong, trained security personnel despite physical frailty" thing works. )

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[birchswing]

I was told I had pathological exertion coming out of general anesthesia during a period I have no memory of. I would assume I was delirious; although, I don't really know. I've only been given vague accounts by my dad who was only there part of the time toward the end of this period. I think they kept giving me Versed for it, though. I was told I punched a nurse who got a bloody nose but I don't know if they meant that jokingly (in that I assume they didn't mean I did it purposefully). I think people were trying to hold my limbs down, but I'm not sure. I was extremely weak for about a week afterward from writhing around so much. But I guess it was whatever anesthesia I had that did it or rather the coming out of it, which may be similar to states people enter from naturally occurring delirium. I was not told I had greater strength, though. Just that I exerted a lot. I had weakness not strength that resulted from it.

 

[Shimmmy]

I would also like to know the answer to OP's questions.

I had pathological exertion waking up from a bike accident that rendered me unconscious. I honestly have no idea why it happened... My mom took a picture of me strapped onto my hospital bed as I also lashed out at the nurses... They thought I was on bath salts lol