Nonresponse to Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) in a Patient with Depression, Substance Abuse and Personality Disorder Pages 89-92

Herbert A. Fox1, William J. Book1, Desiree S. Castillo2, Mayra Cabrera1, Stephen Scelsa1 and Charles H. Kellner3

1Mt. Sinai Beth Israel Medical Center, USA; 2Montefiore Medical Center, USA; 3Mt. Sinai Hospital, USA

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12970/2310-8231.2014.02.02.1

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Abstract: The authors report the case of a patient with a history of episodic, severe clinical depression who demonstrated an apparent absence of response to ECT. His illness was complicated by substance abuse and personality disorder. The vicissitudes of his course of treatment are described and the literature on ECT in depressed patients with substance abuse and personality disorder is reviewed. The heterogeneity of depression, and its relation to the ECT consultation process, is briefly discussed.

Keywords: Non-response to ECT, ECT and substance abuse, ECT and personality disorder, heterogeneity of depression, ECT consultation. Read more