Journal of Psychiatry

ECT in patient with treatment resistant schizophrenia: A case study

2^nd International Conference on Psychiatry and Psychiatric Disorders

May 02-04, 2016 Chicago, Illinois, USA

Abhishek Kumar and Ravichandran Nigila

Institute of Mental Health, Singapore

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Psychiatry

Abstract:

Electroconvulsive therapy has been used extensively for many years for the treatment of depression and catatonia but is rarely used in the treatment of schizophrenia. In this case study, we try to understand the effect of electroconvulsive in treatment resistant schizophrenia. A 63 year old Chinese male with over 40 years of history of schizophrenia and maintaining well on medications presented with acute change in behavior; patient stated to behave in a bizarre way like eating metal screws, tissue papers, coins, books and also started drinking his own urine. Organic workup was done and was negative. The patient was started on adequate dose of combination of two antipsychotic (Olanzapine and Asenapine) but showed no response and continued with his disorganized behavior. As patient did not show any response to the medications, he was tried on Electroconvulsive therapy. He was given 12 sessions of ECT and after the fourth session, improvement was noticed and after 12 sessions, the patient was in complete remissions. Although limited study has been done about the role of ECT in treatment of schizophrenia but in the case, it has been observed that ECT can be very effective in schizophrenia not responding to antipsychotics.

Biography :

Abhishek Kumar is presently working as Senior Psychiatrist at Institute of Mental Health, Singapore.

Email: abhishek_leo69@yahoo.com