Multiyear Evaluation of Maintenance Electroconvulsive Therapy in an Adult With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Catatonia, and Challenging Behavior.

We report the case of a 30-year-old man diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder who received electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) over a 4-year period to treat catatonia associated with life-threatening self-injury, aggression, major depression, and associated self-care, daily living, and communication skills deficits. A systematic schedule of maintenance ECT (m-ECT) was associated with elimination of challenging behavior, catatonic and depressive symptom remission, removal of protective equipment, and reduced dosages of psychotropic medications.