Motor Function Improvement After Electroconvulsive Therapy in a Parkinson's Disease Patient With Deep Brain Stimulator.

Abstract

In patients with a deep brain stimulator (DBS), electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has proven to be a safe and effective treatment option after several medication failures in major depression, especially in the presence of psychotic symptoms. Electroconvulsive therapy has also proven to be effective in the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). To date, there have been no reports on the effect of ECT on motor function in PD patients with a functioning DBS. We present the case of a woman with DBS as a treatment for PD, safely treated with ECT for a psychotic depression. Depression severity and motor changes were evaluated on a weekly basis using the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale and the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale. During the course of ECT, the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale score declined from 34 to 13, and the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor score from 44 to 12 with positive impact on rigidity. Considering the positive impact of ECT on the motor function in our patient, new research should look into ECT as an augmentation strategy in motor dysfunction in patients treated with DBS for PD.