RESULTS The most common indication for using ECT for schizophrenia patients was to augment pharmacotherapy , while the most common accompanying symptoms were , in order , catatonia , aggression and suicide .
Catatonic patients responded significantly better to ECT than patients with any other subtype of schizophrenia .
The combination of ECT with pharmacotherapy can be useful for drug-resistant patients .
The use of an ECT-risperidone combination or ECT-clozapine combination in patients non-responsive to prior pharmacotherapy was found to be most effective .
This review indicates that ECT , combined with pharmacotherapy , may be a viable option for a selected group of patients with schizophrenia .
In particular , the use of ECT is recommended for drug-resistant patients , for schizophrenic patients with catatonia , aggression or suicidal behavior  , and when rapid global improvement and reduction of acute symptomatology are required
BACKGROUND Electroconvulsive therapy ( ECT ) is a medical treatment that is most effective for mood disorders ( Bipolar Disorder and Major Depression ) .
It has also been shown to be an effective treatment for schizophrenia accompanied by catatonia , extreme depression , mania and other affective components .
ECT is currently under-used in many psychiatric setting s due to its stigmatized perception by patients and mental health professionals .
However , many unanswered questions remain regarding its role in the management of patients with schizophrenia .
AIM Evaluate the main indications of ECT in subjects suffering from schizophrenia .
OBJECTIVES Investigate the efficacy and the main indications of  ECT in the treatment of schizophrenic patients , evaluate its effects in the short-term and the long-term , compare ECT treatment with pharmacotherapy , and assess the effects of treatment with ECT .
Electroconvulsive therapy improves antipsychotic and somnographic responses in adolescents with first-episode psychosis — A case–control study
OBJECTIVE Previous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of electroconvulsive therapy ( ECT ) in pharmacotherapy-resistant neuropsychiatric conditions . This study aim ed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ECT in adolescents with first-episode psychosis . METHOD This case-control study was conducted in in patients aged 13 - 20 years with first-episode psychosis . Every three similar age and same gender patients consecutively recruited were r and omly allocated to control and ECT group at a ratio of 1:2 , while they had antipsychotic treatment . ECT treatment was performed for 3 sessions per week with a maximum of 14 sessions . The endpoint was discharge from hospital . Clinical outcomes were measured using hospital stay days , the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale ( PANSS ) and response rate . Polysomnography ( PSG ) was conducted at baseline and at week 2 . Safety and tolerability were also evaluated . RESULTS Between March 2004 and November 2009 , 112 eligible patients were allocated to control ( n=38 ) and ECT ( n=74 ) group .  Additional ECT treatment significantly reduced hospital stay compared to controls ( 23.2±8.2 days versus 27.3±9.3 days , mean±SD , P=0.018 ) . Survival analysis revealed that the ECT-treated group had a significantly higher cumulative response rate than controls ( 74.3 % versus 50 % , relative risk (RR)=1.961 , P=0.001 ) . Additional ECT also produced significantly greater improvement in sleep efficiency , rapid eye movement ( REM ) latency and density than control condition . The PSG improvement significantly correlated with reduction in scores on overall PANSS , positive symptoms , and general psychopathology . No patients discontinued ECT treatment regimen during hospital stay . The incidence of most adverse events was not different in the two groups , but ECT-treated group had more complaints of transient headache and dizziness than controls . CONCLUSIONS ECT is an effective and safe intervention used in adolescents with first-episode psychosis . Its antipsychotic effects are associated with improved PSG variables . ECT can be considered as an early psychosis intervention
RESULTS The most common indication for using ECT for schizophrenia patients was to augment pharmacotherapy , while the most common accompanying symptoms were , in order , catatonia , aggression and suicide .
Catatonic patients responded significantly better to ECT than patients with any other subtype of schizophrenia .
The combination of ECT with pharmacotherapy can be useful for drug-resistant patients .
The use of an ECT-risperidone combination or ECT-clozapine combination in patients non-responsive to prior pharmacotherapy was found to be most effective .
This review indicates that ECT , combined with pharmacotherapy , may be a viable option for a selected group of patients with schizophrenia .
In particular , the use of ECT is recommended for drug-resistant patients , for schizophrenic patients with catatonia , aggression or suicidal behavior  , and when rapid global improvement and reduction of acute symptomatology are required
BACKGROUND Electroconvulsive therapy ( ECT ) is a medical treatment that is most effective for mood disorders ( Bipolar Disorder and Major Depression ) .
It has also been shown to be an effective treatment for schizophrenia accompanied by catatonia , extreme depression , mania and other affective components .
ECT is currently under-used in many psychiatric setting s due to its stigmatized perception by patients and mental health professionals .
However , many unanswered questions remain regarding its role in the management of patients with schizophrenia .
AIM Evaluate the main indications of ECT in subjects suffering from schizophrenia .
OBJECTIVES Investigate the efficacy and the main indications of  ECT in the treatment of schizophrenic patients , evaluate its effects in the short-term and the long-term , compare ECT treatment with pharmacotherapy , and assess the effects of treatment with ECT .