Electroconvulsive therapy for severe depression, psychosis and chorea in a patient with Huntington's disease: case report and review of the literature.

BJPsych Bulletin
Walied Mowafi, Jon Millard

Abstract

The psychiatric manifestations of Huntington's disease are myriad and difficult to control. The use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is not commonly considered for this condition. We describe a patient with severe depression, psychomotor retardation, delusions and weight loss who responded to ECT with good control of her symptoms. Both our case and the literature appear to confirm the efficacy of ECT in the treatment of depression in Huntington's disease and suggest that other psychiatric manifestations of Huntington's are also responsive. ECT is an effective and safe treatment that should be considered earlier in the course of the disease in cases that show limited response to pharmacological therapy. It should also be considered as an adjunct to medical therapy that may simplify polypharmacy and allow better control in patients with debilitating psychiatric manifestations of the disease. There is limited and conflicting evidence for its efficacy in chorea.

References

Jan 1, 1994·The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences·N G RanenS E Folstein
Jan 1, 1996·The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences·C F LewisR Tandon
Jun 1, 1997·The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy·J L Shamus, E C Shamus
Jul 1, 1955·The Journal of Mental Science·C R BROTHERS, A W MEADOWS
Dec 21, 2006·Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry·Camille L JulienDavid Craufurd
Jul 6, 2007·Journal of Psychiatric Research·Evangelos VassosDimitrios Vassilopoulos
Nov 30, 2011·Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology : Official Journal of the Society for Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology·Jorge Merida-PugaMariana Espinola-Nadurille
May 16, 2014·Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry·Erik van DuijnUNKNOWN European Huntington's Disease Network Behavioural Phenotype Working Group
Nov 19, 2014·Journal of Psychiatric Practice·Michelle MagidDavid A Kahn
Feb 6, 2016·The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences·Anne-Cécile PetitFayçal Mouaffak
Jan 26, 2017·The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences·Rohit Praful ShahSarita Sharma
Jun 18, 2017·Brain Sciences·Ricardo Augusto PaoliElisabetta Caletti
Jul 25, 2019·Frontiers in Neurology·Anne-Catherine Bachoud-LéviJean-Marc Burgunder

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.