ECT for Catatonia in Schizencephaly

Schizencephaly is a rare congenital brain malformation in which individuals have abnormal unilateral or bilateral clefts in the cerebral cortex. Medical comorbidities include hemiparesis, developmental delay, seizures, and psychiatric conditions such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Here, we describe the case of a 51-year-old female with schizencephaly who developed catatonia and was successfully treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). This case report is seemingly the first of its kind in detailing the use of ECT to treat catatonia in a patient with schizencephaly. Considerations for ECT in this population include a thorough risk-benefit analysis as well as a multidisciplinary approach involving neurology and internal medicine.