Maintenance Electroconvulsive Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Irritability in Autism Due to Depression in an Adolescent

Irritability may be seen in patients with autism spectrum disorder, and it may be treated medically. The core features of the ASD diagnosis may confound presumed treatment resistance of irritability in ASD. Mood disorders should be in differential diagnosis if irritability is treatment-resistant in patients with autism. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be an effective treatment of choice in such patients. In this case report, we present a 16-year-old, 10-month-old male adolescent with autism spectrum disorder who was admitted to our inpatient service due to his self-harming and aggressive behavior with the possibility of severe harm resulting to others. His irritability was resistant to medical treatment; therefore, an underlying mood disorder was considered in the differential diagnosis. This case report presents a patient with treatment-resistant irritability in autism who was treated with fluoxetine and ECT. ECT is being continued as maintenance ECT. While this case is being written, he has received 36th maintenance ECT at a frequency of twice a week. This patient has benefited from a combination of fluoxetine and ECT. In conclusion, in the presence of irritability unresponsive to pharmacological and behavioral treatment in a patient with nonverbal autism spectrum disorder, an underlying mood disorder should be considered, and treatment should be arranged accordingly; ECT and maintenance ECT may be an effective treatment option.