Intensive Electroconvulsive Therapy: A Follow-Up Study

Our basic sample for follow-up investi gation comprised 79 former patients admitted to the A.M.I, during the years 1956-63, who were known to have reached the 'third stage of depatterning' as defined by Cameron (2). Comparisons between these cases and the general population of the Institute indicate that a) they were, on the average, ten years younger; b) many more of them were single; c) they remained in hospital twice as long as others; d.) 77 per cent as compared to 2 3 per cent were diagnosed schizophrenic or borderline; e) 24 per cent relapsed following depatterning, while still in hospital; f) physical compli cations ranging from 'mild' to 'severe' were associated with the treatment in 23 per cent of the group; severe complica tions accounted for six per cent of the sample.