Possible effects of electroconvulsive therapy on refractory psychosis in primary progressive multiple sclerosis: A...

Patients with multiple sclerosis commonly show some degree of psychiatric symptoms. Primary progressive multiple sclerosis is a part of the spectrum of multiple sclerosis phenotypes with progressive accumulation of disability from disease onset and active course. Psychiatric symptoms are commonly shown in multiple sclerosis, and up to 10% of patients with multiple sclerosis have the primary progressive form. Thus, patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis may also elicit psychiatric symptoms. However, little information is available on psychiatric symptoms, especially on psychosis, in primary progressive multiple sclerosis.

Here, we report on a 42-year-old woman with primary progressive multiple sclerosis whose psychosis did not respond to antipsychotics and was partially ameliorated by electroconvulsive therapy. She suffered from auditory hallucination, anxiety, depersonalization, and suicidal ideation. Initially, several antipsychotic agents were tried, but not effective. Given this, she underwent 12 sessions of electroconvulsive therapy.

Our observation suggests the possible utility of electroconvulsive therapy in the treatment of psychosis in primary progressive multiple sclerosis.