Use of electroconvulsive therapy in children and adolescents – review of current literature and description of effects of electrotherapy in 5 adolescents with diagnosed treatment resistant schizophrenia

Electroconvulsion has been proven to be an effective and safe therapy, which continues to arouse much emotion both in health care employees and general population. It seems important to continue the studies on this therapeutic method and make available the existing knowledge. In recent years the electroconvulsive therapy has confirmed its position mainly in mood disorders, schizophrenia and catatonic syndrome in adults. In children and adolescents the electroconvulsion is used as the last chance treatment, however the randomised studies on this subject are still missing. The treatment is carried on analogously as in adults; it is based on descriptions of single cases. The mechanism of electroconvulsion efficacy and possible differences of this mechanism during maturing of the central nervous system are not known enough as yet. Admittedly, during the procedure many neurotransmitters are released, recently the impact on the brain’s neuroplasticity has been reported. The study is aimed at presenting a review of studies on the use of electroconvulsion in adolescents and children. The authors pointed to indications, efficacy and safety of electroconvulsive therapy. They also referred to scarce studies on the use of electroconvulsion at pre-pubertal age. Despite the lack of regulations, such therapy is sometimes used as the last chance treatment. In the latter half of the article the authors analysed the indications, efficacy, and adverse symptoms of electroconvulsion in 5 adolescents treated at our Clinic in recent years. The safety of such therapy and its partial efficacy in treatment resistant schizophrenia have been confirmed.