[Effectiveness of neuro-electric therapy in drug resistant endogenous psychoses]

A retrospective chart review of 50 pharmacotherapeutically resistant patients was performed after treatment with NET in 1986-1988. 28 patients suffered from schizophrenia and 22 from affective psychosis. In contrast to literature where NET as therapy of first choice has favourable results in depression in this study 60.7% of the treatment resistant acute schizophrenics responded well to NET. 3 months after discharge from hospital 9 schizophrenics (32.1%) but only 3 patients with affective psychosis (13.6%) presented a 'good' outcome (full remission). A longer duration of schizophrenia (more than 5 years since first manifestation) and a good response to neuroleptics in history was predictive for a good actual NET response (14 of 17 patients), whereas 7 of 11 patients suffering from schizophrenia less than 3 years without any period of full remission on neuroleptics were also non-responders to NET.