Safety and efficacy of ECT in mental disorders associated with epilepsy: report of three cases.

ABSTRACT

SUMMARY: The authors report on the use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in the treatment of three patients with mental disorders associated with epilepsy. They discuss several aspects related to safety, efficacy, and indications of ECT in these patients. The observed results, as well as published data, provide evidence that ECT is a safe and effective therapeutic option for some patients with mental disorders associated with epilepsy. The indications are the same as in patients without epilepsy. There might be another possible indication for patients with alternative mental disorders (forced normalization), although improvement after spontaneous seizures may not always predict response to ECT.