1. Brief stimulus therapy was administered to 80 patients, 46 of whom had no other type of shock. In the latter group, patients with affective disorders were recovered in about 80% of cases; the remaining patients were all improved. In 20 schizophrenic patients, 45% of remissions were procured (with only a brief follow-up) and 2 patients were not improved. Both unimproved patients showed predominant hebephrenic features.2. The assets of BST are the avoidance of memory disorders and of pronounced EEG changes; shorter postconvulsive recovery; facilitation of psychotherapy; and lower incidence of vertebral compressions.3. The pitfalls of BST are all associated with an increased fear of treatments in some patients. This fear seems to be related to "unobliterated" minor reactions and an occurrence of "dissociated shocks." Different procedures are suggested to decrease such fear.4. Physiological mechanisms underlying BST, its assets and its pitfalls, are reviewed, particularly the physiological meaning of "dissociated shock." Further possibilities of the refinement of BST on the basis of physiological analysis of excitabilities involved are suggested.Abstract Teaser