The interaction of delirium and seizures.

The induction of a delirium by medical illness, somatic treatments, or experimental drugs occasionally relieves psychotic, excited, and manic states. An induced delirium is a feature of modern electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), and was a feature of insulin coma therapy and psychosurgery. Case material explores the relationship between psychosis, mania, seizures, and electroencephalogram. From our understanding of the mechanism of ECT in relieving intractable status epilepticus, we suggest a hypothesis for the beneficial interaction between delirium and ECT.