Cases Of Psychosis Research Articles

Spiritual emergence(y), psychosis, and personality: Investigating the role of schizotypy.

Spiritual emergency (SEY) refers to a process of spiritual emergence (SE) or awakening that becomes traumatic for an individual, leading to a state of psychological crisis. There is evidence that SE(Y) is associated with both psychotic symptomatology and personality traits. This study examined the relationship between SE(Y), psychotic symptoms, and schizotypy, a construct that addresses psychotic-like personality traits in the general population. A total of 250 participants completed an anonymous online questionnaire. Results showed that SE(Y) was positively correlated with positive symptoms of psychosis and schizotypy, but demonstrated only very weak to no correlations with negative symptoms of psychosis and schizotypy. The results also showed that disorganized schizotypy mediated the relationship between positive schizotypy and crisis; and positive schizotypy mediated the relationship between disorganized schizotypy and crisis. The clinical implications of these results include the identification of measurable clinical and personality markers that may help: (1) differentiate between SE(Y) and cases of clinical psychosis that have a poor prognosis, and (2) identify individuals who are at risk of experiencing the potentially debilitating effects of SE(Y).

New-onset psychosis in an elderly patient: Thiamine to the rescue

<h3>Introduction</h3> Alcohol-related neurocognitive disorders result from chronic and excessive alcohol consumption in combination with liver dysfunction and/or dietary deffiencies. Long-term alcohol abuse can affect higher and lower-order functions of neurocognition including but not limited to global deficits in visuospatial abilities, impulsivity, executive functions, working and episodic memory. According to the DSM-5, these disorders are divided in mild and major, forms with further division of the latter into amnestic-confabulatory and non-amnestic form. We present here a patient with new-onset psychosis that after careful evaluation of etiological causes was attributed to alcohol consumption with subsequent fullfilment for diagnostic criteria of Wernicke-Korsakoff. These disorders may be increasing worldwide, particularly in the elderly population. Interventions such as treatment of amnestic features as well as comorbidites, medication and engagement with psychosocial support systems has been associated with better outcomes. <h3>Methods</h3> We describe the case of a Latinx 74-year-old male with no past psychiatric history and a past medical history of hypertension and DM2 admitted to geriatric unit after exhibiting agitated behavior and paranoia. Collateral information obtained from family revealed that patient had recent on-set of insomnia, paranoia, visual hallucinations, confabulation and impulsivity that started 2 to 3 months before admission to our unit. It was also disclosed that patient had a history of nicotine and a chronic alcohol use which led to peptic ulcer disease and subsequent alcohol abstinence. A thorough medical work up revealed microcytic anemia and hyperglycemia with otherwise unremarkable hepatic function, TSH, Vitamin B12, folic acid and STD panel. MRI was remarkable for scattered hyperdensities suggestive of chronic small vascular ischemia. <h3>Results</h3> During first encounter, patient had bizarre behavior (holding a napkin between his lips to avoid air contamination), was seen talking to himself and exhibited paranoid ideation towards team. He was started on oral thiamine 100mg, medications for comorbidities and risperidone 0.5mg twice daily which he refused on multiple occasions requiring Olanzapine 2.5mg intramuscullarly. On day three, patient reported paranoid ideation towards family; he felt threatened, therefore he admitted he hid a machete under his bed at home before admission. On multiple ocassions patient was seen writing incomprehensible notes with nonsensical themes. The patient refused formal cognitive screening (MOCA) initially, yet he was oriented to sourroundings. On further evaluation, patient continued paranoid, isolated and refusing medication as he believed team was trying to poison him. Further collateral information from family revealed that patient exhibited neurocognitive symptoms at least 1 year before presentantion as well as increased alcohol consumption one month before admission into our unit. On day nine, thiamine was switched to intramuscular formulation as a 100mg twice a day dosing. By day twelve, patient was more cooperative and calm, exhibiting less psychosis and disorganization. He was able to perform a MOCA, with deficits in encoding and information retrieval and MMSE of 19/30. By day 15, patient was less delusional, socializing and with improved insight into his condition. We postulate that resolution of psychosis was achieved after intramuscular thiamine was initiated. <h3>Conclusions</h3> This presentation highlight a case of new-onset psychosis in an elderly patient with multiple comorbidities and imaging suggestive of vascular dementia. Management included a multifaceted approach with antipsychotic and thiamine treatment that after careful evaluation was attributed to alcohol induced amnestic disorder. Psychiatrists should understand the symptoms that could be associated to chronic ethanol use in the elderly population as well as treatment strategies to target symptoms. <h3>This research was funded by</h3> None

The Epigenetics of Psychosis: A Structured Review with Representative Loci.

The evidence for an environmental component in chronic psychotic disorders is strong and research on the epigenetic manifestations of these environmental impacts has commenced in earnest. In reviewing this research, the focus is on three genes as models for differential methylation, MCHR1, AKT1 and TDO2, each of which have been investigated for genetic association with psychotic disorders. Environmental factors associated with psychotic disorders, and which interact with these model genes, are explored in depth. The location of transcription factor motifs relative to key methylation sites is evaluated for predicted gene expression results, and for other sites, evidence is presented for methylation directing alternative splicing. Experimental results from key studies show differential methylation: for MCHR1, in psychosis cases versus controls; for AKT1, as a pre-existing methylation pattern influencing brain activation following acute administration of a psychosis-eliciting environmental stimulus; and for TDO2, in a pattern associated with a developmental factor of risk for psychosis, in all cases the predicted expression impact being highly dependent on location. Methylation induced by smoking, a confounding variable, exhibits an intriguing pattern for all three genes. Finally, how differential methylation meshes with Darwinian principles is examined, in particular as it relates to the “flexible stem” theory of evolution.

Psychological and Sociocultural Determinants in Childhood Asthma Disease: Impact on Quality of Life.

Asthma is the most common chronic disease in childhood. The presence of this pathology in children leads to the appearance of different alterations (physical, psychological, social, etc.). Due to their high influence, the aim of this study is to understand these psychological and sociocultural determinants and their impact on the quality of life of asthmatic children. In order to determine the influence of these determinants on quality of life, a narrative review of 48 articles collected in different databases was carried out. Emotions are the most powerful precursor to producing an asthmatic attack. Anxiety and depression are the pathologies that appear frequently associated with childhood asthma, together with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. In addition, the personality of these children seems to be characterized by shyness and impulsivity, although exceptionally it has been associated with psychopathic behaviors, aggressiveness, and cases of psychosis. School performance is impaired and bullying occurs more frequently. Likewise, dysfunctional family relationships and lower socioeconomic status have a negative impact on the severity and management of asthma. In short, the quality of life of asthmatic children is lower due to the presence of the aforementioned psychological and sociocultural determinants.

The relation between socio-economic indicators, the incidence of alcoholism and alcoholic psychosis in Russia, 1992-2020

&lt;b&gt;Introduction.&lt;/b&gt; Alcoholism is still a pressing socio-medical problem in Russia that needs to be considered within the broader socio-economic context. Therefore, this study focuses on socio-economic indicators and their association with the incidence of alcoholism and alcoholic psychoses. &lt;b&gt;Aim.&lt;/b&gt; To study the correlations of socio-economic indicators with the incidence (the number of new cases) of alcoholism and alcoholic psychoses in Russia, 1992-2020. &lt;b&gt;Materials and methods.&lt;/b&gt; Correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationships between a set of socio-economic indicators, cases of alcoholism and alcoholic psychoses. Data analysis was conducted using the SPSS software package. &lt;b&gt;Results.&lt;/b&gt; The incidence of alcoholic psychoses correlates with the Index of Economic Freedom (r= -0.427 | moderate association), Human Development Index (-0.629 | noticeable), unemployment rate (0.655 | noticeable), poverty level (0.482 | moderate). The incidence of alcoholism correlates with Gini coefficient (-0.595 | noticeable), Human Development Index (-0.975 | strong), unemployment rate (0.765 | high), poverty level (0.803 | high), price of vodka (0.769 | high). Public health expenditure in relation to GDP (%) does not correlate with the incidence of alcoholic psychoses and alcoholism. &lt;b&gt;Conclusion.&lt;/b&gt; The results of the study showed significant associations with 6 out of 7 socio-economic indicators. This may indicate that the incidence of alcoholism and alcoholic psychoses is largely caused by the socio-economic situation.

Change in attitude and help-seeking pattern of caregivers and patients with mental disorders in the community - Recent findings from India.

The researchers utilised a cross-sectional study design. A face-to-face interview was used to collect data using the WHO Encounter Form. Using a successive sample technique, patients with various diagnoses of mental illness undergoing Psychiatry outpatient therapy at a tertiary care medical college were included in the study. In terms of gender, ladies (53.3%) were seen to use psychiatric services more than males (46.7%) from an urban or semi-urban background. For dissociative disorders, the median time from onset to first contact with a care provider was 0.1 years; 0.3 years for mood episodes; 0.6 years for anxiety disorders; one year for psychotic disorders; and seven years for Substance Use Disorders (SUD). However, interaction with current psychiatric services took an average of six months for dissociation; 3.5 years for mood disorders; three years for anxiety disorders; six years for psychotic disorders; and a maximum of seventeen years for SUD. Participants in the study who had a family history of mental illness sought care more quickly (OR = 4.3, 95 percent CI 1.19 to 7.11, P = 0.03). The fact that 73 percent of patients have a GP or mental health professional as their first point of contact for various mental diseases is good. Higher education status, urban background, dwelling closer to the mental health centre, and having a biological attribution model for psychological illness were the other clinical and demographic characteristics important for quicker paths to mental health treatment. In most cases of psychosis and SUD (substance use disorders), there is still a significant delay in receiving modern psychiatric therapy. The number of initial contacts with Native Healers ha s decreased. The majority of people said mental illness was caused by environmental or biological factors. Education and scientific information regarding mental health have aided the process of seeking treatment, and there should be a provision of training programmes for family physicians and community health professionals to facilitate the process of help-seeking behavior of psychiatric patients in the Indian subcontinent.

How Did the Mental Health Care System in India Respond to COVID 19 Pandemic?

India with a population of 1.3 billion has a unique health care system in its different states. Mental health care varies widely across the country and this became even more apparent after the COVID-19 pandemic set in. This paper examines the various strategies in response to COVID-19 adopted by the Government of India, the health departments of the individual states, and other private players such as on-government organizations and the civil society. The cessation of many services including outpatient and inpatient care and the scarcity of medicines were serious impacts of COVID-19. The prolonged lockdown in many parts of the country impeded access to mental health care services since public transport was unavailable. This led to many relapses in persons with serious mental disorders. The emergence of new cases of psychosis and an increase in suicides were also seen. Tele consultations came to the fore and many helplines were started offering counseling and guidance regarding the availability of mental health care facilities. While these helped the urban dwellers, those in remote and rural areas were unable to use these services effectively. Many mental health wards were used for COVID-19 patients and mental health professionals were deployed for COVID-19 related duty. The severely mentally ill, the homeless mentally ill, and the elderly were especially vulnerable. Based on our experience with COVID-19, we urge a strong call for action, in terms of strengthening the primary care facilities and increasing the manpower resources to deliver mental health care.

Thyroid psychosis in a young male: an unusual presentation of Graves' disease: a case report

Thyroid psychosis is a rare presentation of hyperthyroidism and like other thyroid disorders, is uncommon among males. It can be life-threatening if prompt diagnosis and treatment are delayed. We report a case of thyroid psychosis in a young male who presented with: insomnia; talking to self with delusions of persecution; and excessive sweating. He was initially misdiagnosed with a psychiatric disorder. There was no improvement on treatment until a diagnosis of hyperthyroidism was made and managed accordingly. As demonstrated in this report thyrotoxicosis presenting with psychosis, especially in males, can be missed at presentation. This report seeks to create awareness on the disease and how it can mimic psychiatric disorders.

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Background:Psychotic disorders carry a substantial burden on public health. There is divergence between high burden of mental illness and comparatively low likelihood of obtaining treatment. Hence, concept of pathway to care is being studied where the help seeking behaviour of patient and family; subsequent accessibility to health care services are evaluated.Aim:To find out pathways of help-seeking behaviour and to assess the association of socio-demographic, clinical and health care service factors with pathway of care of patients with psychotic spectrum disorders.Methodology:A cross sectional study was conducted on patients presenting to psychiatry OPD, KIMS, Hubballi diagnosed with schizophrenia and other psychotic spectrum disorders (as per ICD 10, F20-29). A semi-structured proforma was used to obtain socio-demographic, clinical details of the patient based on WHO encounter form.Results:A total of 60 cases of first episode psychosis were assessed. Mean age of the patients was 33.87±10.94 years. Majority of them were females, belonged to rural background and were married. Mean duration of psychotic illness was 7.5 months. Majority of them 55% had first contact with a faith healer. Only 18.3% had their first contact to a psychiatrist. On an average, the first contact ever was initiated after 2 months of illness onset.Conclusion:Referral to psychiatric services is often delayed leading to increased duration of untreated psychosis and burden of care. The service providers and policy makers’ needs to be sensitised about appropriate and accessible psychiatric services, providing easy and favourable pathway of care for psychiatric patients.

Disulfiram-induced psychosis in covert use: A case series

Disulfiram was the first medication approved by the FDA for alcohol dependence. Important adverse effects of disulfiram are hepatological, dermatological, neurological (polyneuritis, encephalopathy), and psychiatric. Psychiatric manifestations include confusion, loss of memory, psychosis, mania with psychotic symptoms. In India, it is very frequently used by general people covertly by mixing with food without doctors’ advice. These patients are highly susceptible to alcohol disulfiram reactions as well as adverse reactions associated with disulfiram. In this report, we are going to discuss 4 cases of psychosis induced by disulfiram when used covertly we came across in our clinical practice. All 4 cases had acute onset psychosis, with a temporal relationship of disulfiram use. No other causes of psychosis were found. Naranjo Casualty Scale ( adapted) was found to be 6 suggestive of probable ADR, providing strong evidence toward disulfiram-induced psychosis. All 4 patients recovered completely on withdrawal of disulfiram and conservative management without any antipsychotic. Disulfiram-induced psychosis should be differentiated from alcohol withdrawal delirium tremens and alcohol-induced psychosis, which may prevent unnecessary antipsychotic use. A lower dose should be considered in case of previous history or family history of psychosis. Psychiatrists and general practitioners in the community should discourage its covert use to avoid the incidence of disulfiram-induced psychosis as well as the severe alcohol disulfiram reaction.

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INTRODUCTIONSchizophrenia is a psychiatric illness with lifetime prevalence of 1.4%. the prevalence of psychosis in deaf and mute is almost equivalent to the general population. Almost 50% deaf and mute patients diagnosed with psychosis report “hearing of voices which others cannot hear” in the absence of any external stimulus. Similar percentage of patients report visual and tactile hallucinations. The assessment of psychosis in such patients become difficult due to lack of tools and training of medical professionals in communication with such patients. There exists some literature which shows association in the neurobiology of auditory hallucinations and hearing impairment.The following case report illustrates a case of psychosis in a deaf and mute patientCASE REPORTA 17 years old unmarried female, not formally educated, unemployed, deaf and mute since birth with easy premorbid temperament no history of any comorbid illness and no family history of any psychiatric or neurological illness presented with insidious onset continuous course of total duration since last 1 year characterized by verbal and physical aggression, suspiciousness, muttering to self, hearing of voices that others cannot hear, odd behaviour, poor self care, decreased sleep. Patient was admitted due to unmanageability at home. On mental status examination, patient was agitated, violent towards herself and her family members. She was started on antipsychotic and had a good response on treatment.CONCLUSIONThis case illustrates the presense of psychotic symptoms including auditory hallucinations in a congenital deaf and mute patient.

Temporal association of psychotic and cognitive symptoms in an alcohol-induced psychosis case (eng)

Temporal association of psychotic and cognitive symptoms in an alcohol-induced psychosis case (eng)

COVID-Related Psychosis in Adolescents: A Case-Based Review.

Despite several reports of the neuropsychiatric effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in older adults, only a few cases of COVID-related psychosis have been reported in young patients. This case-based review compares the clinical presentations of 2 previously published cases of adolescent patients who developed psychosis in the context of COVID-related complications with a new case of a male adolescent who developed post-COVID psychosis. A discussion to raise clinicians' awareness of COVID-related psychosis in young patients as well as the need for cautious use of antipsychotic medications in this highly vulnerable age group is also provided.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Non-Psychiatric Physicians about Addiction

Objective: To evaluate non-psychiatric physicians’ knowledge, attitude and practices regarding management of cases with addiction. Subjects and Methods: Following a cross-sectional study, 126 non-psychiatric physicians in Aseer Region were interviewed. A study questionnaire was used for data collection. It included socio-demographic data; general attitudes and interest toward addictions, addiction psychiatry; knowledge about addictions, addictive disorders, including treatment, and practice about addictions, addictive disorders, and treatment. The survey was anonymously self-administered and participant physicians were asked to provide their written informed consent to participate in this study. Data were collected through direct interviews with physicians. Results: Age of participants ranged from 26 to 66 years (Mean±SD: 37.1±9.1 years). Most participants (81%) were males. Only 9.5% attended a training course or a conference on management of addiction, while 12.7% attended training or a course on palliative care. Generally, participants had very low knowledge regarding management of addiction, especially maintenance daily doses of Buprenorphine and Methadone and their overdose (4.8%, 12.7% and 7.9%, respectively). Regarding positive attitude statements, the least agreed upon were “illicit drugs addicts are easy patients”; and “being at ease in working with persons with heroin addiction” (11.1%, and 14.3%, respectively), while the highest agreed upon negative statements were “deficient resources to treat drug-dependent patients”; and “need to have more training on addiction management” (82.5% and 69.8%, respectively). Acute or chronic pain crises were the most common addiction-related conditions managed by participant physicians (39.7% and 31.7%, respectively). Cases of substance-induced psychosis were managed by 12.7% of participant physicians. The most commonly prescribed drugs for patients with addiction-related conditions were morphine, fentanyl, tramadol and pregabalin (44.4%, 19% 19%, and 17.5% respectively). Conclusions: Non-psychiatric physicians in Aseer Region have insufficient knowledge, negative attitude and poor practice about psychoactive substance use disorders. Continuing medical education and training is necessary to promote physicians’ knowledge and practices related to prevention and treatment strategies for addiction diseases. Key Words: Addiction, psychoactive substance use disorders, knowledge, attitude, practice, non-psychiatric physicians

Providing Home Treatment for Acute Mental Illness During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The Intensive Home Treatment Team in Edinburgh provides care at home for those with acute and severe mental health problems. During the first COVID-19 lockdown, the team conducted and evaluated video and telephone calls but also continued seeing most patients face to face to ensure adequate care. The in-person care was achieved safely, without an increase in staff sickness events. During the lockdown, the team observed more cases of psychosis, particularly acute and transient psychosis and first-episode psychosis, particularly among women.

Acute psychosis and serotonin syndrome in the setting of \u201cTriple-C\u201d overdose: a case report

BackgroundOver-the-counter medication overdose is a difficult diagnostic challenge for many physicians as common drug screening assays cannot detect these substances. We present a case of acute psychosis, serotonin syndrome, and anticholinergic overdose-like properties in the setting of Coricidin HBP Cough & Cold tablets, known by their street name Triple-C. This is the first case report we are aware of involving a patient presenting with these symptoms and requiring critical-care-level support.Case presentationA 31-year-old African American female with a past medical history of anxiety, childhood asthma, previous methamphetamine abuse, and coronavirus disease 2019 infection in August 2020 was brought to the emergency department by the local police department with altered mental status. Initial blood work, including extended drug screens, were unremarkable for a definitive diagnosis. This patient required critical-care-level support and high sedation because of her symptoms. Collateral history revealed the patient regularly consumed Triple-C daily for the 6 weeks prior to admission. A trial off sedation was attempted after 24 hours with no complications. The patient admitted to regular Triple-C consumption and auditory hallucinations since adolescence. She was discharged safely after 48 hours back into the community. She was lost to follow-up with psychiatry and internal medicine; however, she was evaluated in the emergency room 1 month later with a similar psychiatric presentation.ConclusionOverdose of Triple-C should be kept in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with a triad of psychosis, serotonin syndrome, and anticholinergic overdose, in the setting of unknown substance ingestion.

Perampanel-Induced Psychosis in a Young Woman: A Case Report

A case of perampanel-induced psychosis in a young woman is reported, a side effect that has only rarely been reported in the literature. We describe a case of a young woman with epilepsy and no psychiatric history with perampanel-associated altered behavior and psychotic symptoms, requiring hospitalization in an acute psychiatry ward. We also provide a literature review on the possible neurobiological pathways implicated. Perampanel is believed to block a small proportion of the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor current, retarding epileptiform discharges while sparing most normal synaptic transmission. Most common adverse events are related to central nervous system (including dizziness, drowsiness, blurred vision and imbalance) and psychiatric symptoms have been reported. The biological vulnerability to psychiatric and behavioral adverse reactions of antiepileptic drugs is multifactorial and different mechanisms and clinical predisposing factors may interact. For this reason, patients starting these antiseizure drugs need long-term and comprehensive clinical monitoring.

Post-clozapine in a clinical setting: A retrospective case note review in Kumamoto, Japan (2009-2019).

Clozapine is commonly prescribed in dopamine supersensitivity psychosis (DSP) cases in Japan. However, limited knowledge on treatment post-clozapine discontinuation use exists. We investigated antipsychotic medications, patient status, and DSP episodes before, during, and after clozapine treatment using medical records of 30 schizophrenia patients (mean age, 51 years; mean illness duration before clozapine treatment, 24 years; mean clozapine treatment duration, 1.6 years), who discontinued clozapine between 2009 and 2019. In our region, long-acting injectable antipsychotic monotherapy and polypharmacy (half with aripiprazole) accounted for 17% and 50% post-clozapine use, respectively. Furthermore, patient status rarely improved with subsequent DSP treatment, including clozapine re-initiation.

Trends of new-onset psychosis or mania in psychiatric emergency departments during the COVID19 pandemic: a longitudinal comparative study

COVID19 infection was associated with possible psychiatric manifestations, including psychosis and mania. In addition, psychiatric disorders might be triggered by severe psychological reactions to the pandemic or the measures taken to contain it. This study aimed to assess the trends of new-onset psychosis/mania during the pandemic timeline. Psychiatric emergency department records during January-July 2019 and 2020 of two regional mental health centers were manually examined. Cases of new-onset psychosis or mania were found in 326 out of 5161 records examined. The ratio of these cases increased by 45.5% in 2020 compared to 2019 (189 out of 2367, 137 out of 2479, respectively, p = 0.001). The peak increase was in April 2020 (9.4% vs. 4.7%, p = 0.015). There was no association between the rise of new-onset psychotic or manic episodes and national incidence of COVID19 cases, as observed during Israel 2nd wave. PCR tests were negative, except a single case. In this study, an increase in new-onset psychosis/mania was identified during the initial phase of the pandemic. Though causality could not be directly inferred, lack of infection symptoms, negative PCR testing and temporal distribution incongruent with COVID19 caseload did not support a direct effect of SARS-CoV-2. Alternative explanations are discussed, such as psychological reaction to stress and preventive measures, as well as case-shifting between different mental health settings.

Characterizing Seizure-Induced Changes in the Glioma Microenvironment

Growing evidence indicates that the neurotransmitters dysregulated in psychiatric disorders are similarly dysregulated in glioblastoma (GBM) biology. Patients with psychiatric disorders are classically thought of having excessive glutamate (major depression, bipolar depression), excessive dopamine (mania, psychosis), and/or insufficient serotonin (major depression, anxiety). Analogously, GBM cells are dependent on bountiful neuronal glutamate, utilize elevated dopamine receptor expression to activate the hypoxic response and augment progression, and catabolize serotonin to drive proliferation. The clinical induction of seizure, known as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), has been used by psychiatrists since the 1930s to treat severe cases of depression, mania, psychosis, and catatonia. ECT has been shown to decrease extracellular glutamate and glutamate receptor expression in vivo and increase blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability. ECT, then, may have previously unexplored oncologic value. We hypothesized that seizure-induced changes in the glioma microenvironment occur with ECT, increasing permeability of the BBB, slowing tumor progression, and prolonging overall survival in glioma-bearing mice.C57BL6 mice were orthotopically injected with CT-2A-Luc mouse glioma cells. Mice were randomized to receive ECT via ear-clip electrodes or sham treatment daily up to five times per week until survival endpoints were reached. Seizure duration and rates of tonic hindlimb extension were recorded. Intracranial progression was monitored via bioluminescent signal from CT-2A-Luc xenografts. BBB permeability was assessed by subjecting mice to ECT or sham treatment immediately following tail vein injection of sodium fluorescein. Mice were saline perfused and brains were harvested for fluorescent spectroscopy.Intracranial progression was maximally reduced in ECT-treated mice relative to sham-treated mice after 17 treatments (mean sham radiance 4.7 × 109 photons/s versus mean ECT radiance 2.6 × 109 photon/s, P = 0.013). This translated into an improvement in overall survival from median 29 days in sham-treated mice to 34.5 days in ECT-treated mice (P = 0.0018). Mean seizure duration was 41.8 seconds and positively correlated with overall survival (Pearson coefficient r = 0.63, P = 0.028). Tonic hindlimb extension occurred in 68% of seizures and positively correlated with overall survival (Pearson coefficient r = 0.72, P = 0.0078). Brain parenchymal uptake of sodium fluorescein was significantly higher in ECT-treated mice, with a mean relative increase in ECS to sham radiance of 1.47 (P < 0.05).Repeated ECT slows tumor progression and prolongs overall survival in C57BL6 mice bearing CT-2A-Luc xenografts. The BBB is compromised immediately following ECT. ECT merits further oncologic investigation as a potential therapeutic in GBM.T. Sita: None. L. Hurley: None. C. Dussold: None. S. Sachdev: None. R. Stupp: Research Grant; CarThera, Paris. Consultant/ad hoc advisor for research protocol development; GT Medical Technologies, Insightec; Northwest Biotherapeutics. Scientific Advisory Board; CranioVation, TriAct, Hemispherian. IDMC of an ongoing clinical trial; Celularity. A. Stegh: None.