title: The treatment of stupor associated with MRI evidence of cerebrovascular disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the treatment and outcome of organic stupor associated with MRI evidence of cerebrovascular disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case series of three patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  An urban mental health of the elderly service in southeast London.
  
  
  METHODS
  Aged 69 years, 72 years and 78 years. Two had organic catatonic disorder and the third organic depressive disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diazepam, carbamazepine, antidepressants or electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Resolution of symptoms and discharge from hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Symptoms resolved between 1 and 10 days. All patients were able to return home but relapsed over the following 12 months. One relapse occurred when a patient stopped diazepam and moclobemide.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is proposed that the initial treatment of organic stupor associated with cerebrovascular disease should include a benzodiazepine or carbamazepine. If patients fail to respond then ECT should be considered. The safety of ECT is not known, when treating patients with depressive disorder associated with cerebrovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Swan Elderly Mental Health Service, Midland, West Australia.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Spear
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ranger
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Herzberg
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002389:Catatonia / Q000628:therapy*; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D003243:Consciousness; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D003975:Diazepam / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D019965:Neurocognitive Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D002220:Carbamazepine; D003975:Diazepam