The prognostic significance of depersonalization in depressive illnesses treated with electroconvulsive therapy.

Earlier Views Before the introduction of electroconvulsive therapy it was a generally accepted view that a depressive illness which was accompanied by symptoms of depersonalization was likely to run a long course. In recent years, however, opinions on the prognostic significance of depersonalization in depressive illness have been more divided. Mayer-Gross, Slater, and Roth (1954) stated that the presence of depersonalization indicated a more prolonged illness, and Lewis (1956) continued to take this view which he had expressed much earlier (Lewis, 1936). Ackner (1954) found that, in contrast to other depersonalization syndromes, the depressive depersonalization syndrome often responded favourably to electroconvulsive therapy (E.C.T.). Sargant and Slater (1954) expressed the opinion that although the depression may be cleared up by E.C.T., the depersonalization often remains. More recently, Roth (1959) has claimed that in the presence of depersonalization E.C.T. is contraindicated in a depressive illness.