ELECTROCONVULSIVE-THERAPY FOR EPILEPSY AND MAJOR DEPRESSION

In this first report of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for the simult aneous treatment of seizures and depressive episodes, the authors disc uss the use of ECT in the treatment of complex-partial seizures and ma jor depression in a geriatric patient who refused antidepressant and a ntiepileptic medication. ECT has numerous anticonvulsant effects, incl uding elevated seizure threshold and decreased seizure duration, which make it a useful adjunctive therapy in epilepsy that is refractory or not amenable to treatment with medication.