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Electroconvulsive treatment of psychotic self-injurious behavior in a patient with severe mental retardation

Published Online:https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.139.10.1355

This report describes a severely retarded adult patient whose self- injurious behavior became acutely life threatening. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was prohibited by law, but it was administered after the law was judged unconstitutional. The patient's response to ECT was excellent, and there were no adverse consequences.

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