Electroconvulsive therapy and major depression in Down's syndrome.

The authors treated two patients who had Down's syndrome and major depression with a combination of inpatient and outpatient electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). They found only 10 other similar published cases, although none involved outpatient ECT. Their experience, in conjunction with that reported in the literature, indicates that ECT is a safe and effective treatment for depressed mentally retarded individuals, including those who respond poorly to antidepressants.