Physical Treatment for Schizophrenia

Abstract

In spite of the enthusiasm with which schizophrenic patients have been treated by physical methods over the past twenty years, there is surprisingly little evidence enabling us to compare the results of one physical treatment with another, or the physical treatments themselves with the treatments they replaced. Some writers (Polonio and Slater, 1954; Rees, 1949) point out a significant improvement over the spontaneous recovery rate with the use of insulin, while others (Jensen, 1952) find no such improvement. Bourne (1953) and Notkin et al. (1939) go so far as to claim that any improvements of insulin-treated patients are due to the extra care and attention they receive, and the work of Ackner and his colleagues (1957) may support this conclusion. Linford Rees (1949) comparing electrical treatment with insulin concluded that electro-shock therapy was far less effective than deep insulin therapy in the treatment of schizophrenia—a conclusion in line with that of Finiefs (1948). On the other hand Impastato and Almansi found very little difference between E.C.T. and insulin treatment in this respect.