The Role of ECT in Schizophrenia

Abstract

Objective: To review the place of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in the treatment of schizophrenia. Conclusions: ECT is as effective, if not more so, than the antipsychotic drugs in certain clinical settings. It can be rapidly effective in acute episodes. When used alone, antipsychotics have comparable or superior efficacy to ECT alone in the short term. However, ECT possibly confers better long-term outcome. Combination treatment with antipsychotic medications and ECT is superior to either treatment alone, and is safe and effective, notably in medication resistant schizophrenia. Benefits of acute courses of ECT may be short-lived unless maintenance ECT is instituted, although there are limited data on the subject. Clinically, patients with acute onset, shorter episodes are more likely to respond to ECT. Catatonia, preoccupation with delusions and hallucinations, and a relative absence of premorbid schizoid and paranoid personality traits, are other clinical factors less strongly predictive of positive response. The presence of affective symptoms is often thought to be predictive of clinical response. However, there is little research evidence for this. While medications remain the mainstay of treatment in schizophrenia, ECT does have a clear and increasingly recognised role which requires further evaluation.