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Updated: May 19, 2026
09:07
Electroconvulsive Seizures in Rats and Fractionation of Their Hippocampi to Examine Seizure-induced Changes in Postsynaptic Density Proteins
Published on: August 15, 2017
Stability of intellectual functioning during maintenance electroconvulsive therapy
Lee E Wachtel1, Dirk M Dhossche, Irving M Reti
1Department of Psychiatry, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 707 North Broadway Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Wachtel@kennedykrieger.org
Pediatric Neurology
|August 14, 2012
Summary
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) did not impair cognitive function in a teenage boy with cerebellar dysgenesis. This case study supports the safety of maintenance ECT for pediatric and developmentally disabled populations.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pediatric Psychiatry
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Malignant catatonia is a rare but life-threatening syndrome.
- Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective treatment for catatonia.
- Cerebellar dysgenesis can impact neurodevelopment and cognitive function.
Observation:
- A 16-year-old male with cerebellar dysgenesis presented with malignant catatonia.
- The patient underwent 61 sessions of acute and maintenance electroconvulsive therapy.
- Neuropsychological testing assessed intellectual functioning, acute memory, and delayed memory.
Findings:
- Neuropsychological assessments before and after 61 electroconvulsive therapy treatments showed no decline in intellectual functioning.
- No evidence of acute or delayed memory impairment was observed post-ECT.
- Cognitive stability was maintained throughout the treatment course.
Implications:
- This case provides evidence for the cognitive safety of electroconvulsive therapy in adolescents.
- The findings support the use of maintenance ECT in pediatric populations with developmental disabilities.
- Further research into the long-term cognitive effects of ECT in this demographic is warranted.
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