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DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-916192
Electroconvulsive Monotherapy in the Treatment of Acute Confusion Psychosis
A Case ReportPublikationsverlauf
Received: 2.5.2005
Revised: 6.7.2005
Accepted: 2.8.2005
Publikationsdatum:
08. Dezember 2005 (online)
![](https://www.thieme-connect.de/media/pharmaco/200506/lookinside/thumbnails/10.1055-s-2005-916192-1.jpg)
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