Abstract
We describe a case of an adolescent male with Niemann-Pick Type C (NP-C), a neurodegenerative lysosomal lipid storage disorder, who presented with recurrent catatonia which required repeated treatment with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). During the ECT-course, seizure threshold increased substantially, leading to questions about the influence of NP-C on neuronal excitability. In this exemplary ECT-patient, NP-C was diagnosed not until after the first ECT-course when initial psychopharmacology for catatonia had failed and antipsychotics and benzodiazepines showed significant side-effects. Clinicians should be aware of NP-C in patients referred for ECT, especially in the case of treatment resistance, neurological symptoms and intolerance of psychopharmacological drugs. As was shown in our NP-C patient, ECT can be repeatedly effective for catatonic features. In the literature, effectiveness of ECT in patients with NP-C has sparsely been reported. This case demonstrates that detection of NP-C is beneficial for patients because more optimal treatment with ECT can be provided earlier without further exposure to side-effects.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 745734 |
Pages (from-to) | 1-4 |
Journal | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
Volume | 12 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Copyright © 2021 van Verseveld, Koens, de Koning, Derikx and van Waarde.Subject classification (UKÄ)
- Psychiatry