[Use of electroconvulsive therapy in the adolescent].

Despite the progress of pharmocotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is still used in a majority of countries to treat severe intractable mental disorders of the youth, yet few studies have been conducted to assess its use for individuals under 20-year-old. Efficacy, indications, side effects, technical characteristics and outcome are uncertain. A review of the 96 cases reported in the literature shows that: 1) its average frequency in adolescent psychiatric practice is similar throughout western nations and can be estimated around one ECT every year per million people; 2) intractable mood disorders, both manic and depressive episodes, are its main indications, since ECT treated more than 90% of the 66 cases reported; ECT can also offer an interesting alternative in some schizoaffective and schizophrenic episodes, in particular catatonic ones; 3) tolerance appears to be good, although secondary effects may occur. The most serious ones are infrequent spontaneous seizures and more common memory loss. Although no prospective studies are available on the evolution of cognitive side effects, they seem to disappear within a few weeks.