Hypomania following bilateral ventral capsule stimulation in a patient with refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition characterized by recurrent obsessions, compulsions, or both, which consume significant time and interfere with daily functioning. Obsessions involve persistent, intrusive, and unwanted thoughts, images, or urges that evoke anxiety. Common examples include irrational fears of contamination or harm. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts performed to reduce the anxiety caused by obsessions. For instance, individuals...

Bipolar disorder is a chronic mental health condition marked by significant mood fluctuations, including episodes of mania and depression. Elevated energy levels, heightened mood or irritability, impulsive behavior, reduced sleep needs, rapid speech, racing thoughts, inflated self-esteem, and distractibility characterize mania. Individuals with bipolar disorder often alternate between depressive and manic states, with periods of emotional stability lasting an average of six months to a year.

Mania, a psychological condition characterized by elevated mood, increased energy, and reduced sleep need, is part of the bipolar disorder cycle. The exact cause of mania isn't entirely known, but it is thought to be a combination of genetic, environmental, and neurological factors. Bipolar disorder involves alternating manic and depressive episodes. Mood stabilizers like lithium, antipsychotics, and anticonvulsants help manage these episodes. Lithium carbonate is particularly effective as a...

Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent and sudden minutes-long episodes of intense fear, known as panic attacks. These attacks may feel like heart attacks and often happen without warning or a specific cause. They can include symptoms such as rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, chest pain, trembling, sweating, dizziness, and a sense of helplessness. During a panic attack, individuals may feel as though they are experiencing a heart attack or are in a...

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), or shock therapy, remains a critical biomedical intervention for severe, treatment-resistant depression. While its origins can be traced back to Hippocrates' observations that malaria-induced convulsions alleviated mental illness, modern ECT has evolved significantly from its earlier, more primitive applications. First introduced in 1938 by Ugo Cerletti and his colleagues, ECT involves inducing controlled seizures using electrical currents. In its early years,...