Pharmacopsychiatry 2005; 38(6): 330-332
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-916192
Letter
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Electroconvulsive Monotherapy in the Treatment of Acute Confusion Psychosis

A Case ReportA. H. Neuhaus1 , J. Katchanov2 , C. Opgen-Rhein1 , P. Neu1 , M. C. Jockers-Scherübl1
  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
  • 2Department of Neurology, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 2.5.2005 Revised: 6.7.2005

Accepted: 2.8.2005

Publication Date:
08 December 2005 (online)

This report focuses on the successful treatment of a most acute case of confusion psychosis according to the concept of Karl Leonhard. The 18-year-old patient was hospitalized three times before the current episode and his case has been characterized as pharmacologically treatment-resistant psychosis since he failed to respond to any psychopharmacological therapy including sufficient clozapine medication. In the patient’s history, typical and atypical antipsychotic as well as mood-stabilizing and sedating pharmacological treatments have been conducted. However, only adverse effects could be observed. When receiving electroconvulsive monotherapy (ECT), the patient showed a marked reduction of symptoms while experiencing no adverse effects. The implications of this finding are discussed with regard to Leonhard’s diagnostic system.

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Andres H. Neuhaus, MD

Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy

Charité University

Medicine Berlin

Campus Benjamin Franklin

Eschenallee 3

14050 Berlin

Germany

Email: andres.neuhaus@charite.de