Moving to accelerated protocols of tDCS in schizophrenic catatonia: A case report

Abstract This is a case report of 74-year-old woman with catatonic schizophrenia who was treated transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) in place electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) during the Covid-19 pandemic that impacted access to ECT facilities. In 2021, exceptional number patients infected SARS-Cov-2 led French public hospital system adjust its organization, temporarily redirecting anesthetists from departments ICUs. Our patient, hospitalized via emergency department, presented features. Due pandemic, ECT, which considered gold standard treatment for this condition, not available. Therefore, tDCS, neuromodulation technique doesn’t require general anesthesia, recommended and delivered at relatively (compared protocols) accelerated rate five sessions day, days week. protocol chosen as rTMS had been shown be effective against depression recent trials (Cole et al. 2021), one study also reported exact harmless patient (Mondino 2021). The Bush-Francis Catatonia Rating Scale (BFCRS) used evaluate severity catatonia. After 49 sessions, clinical response meaningful, BFCRS score 16, compared 36 baseline. We then moved three week, two 80 we noted complete disappearance catatonia (BFCRS = 6). provides evidence feasibility tolerability tDCS Accelerated represents potential alternative catatonia, needs further randomized studies confirm efficacy. Research Category Technology Methods Clinical Research: 9. Transcranial Keywords: tdcs, covid-19,