P.0686 Cognitive performance in depressive patients treated with electroconvulsive therapy

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is effective in the treatment of treatment-resistant major depression. The fear of cognitive impairment after ECT often deters patients from choosing this treatment option. There is little reliable information regarding the effects of ECT on overall cognitive performance, while short-term memory deficits are well known but not easy to measure within clinical routines. In this pilot study, we examined ECT recipients’ pre- and posttreatment performances on a digital ascending number tapping test. We found that cognitive performance measures exhibited good reproducibility in individual patients and that ECT did not significantly alter cognitive performance up to 2 hours after this therapy was applied. Our results can help patients and physicians make decisions regarding the administration of ECT. Digital measurements are recommended, especially when screening for the most common side effects on cognitive performance and short-term memory.

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Effects of right unilateral electroconvulsive therapy on motor cortical excitability in depressive patients

Journal of Psychiatric Research ◽

10.1016/j.jpsychires.2005.07.002 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 40 (4) ◽

pp. 322-327 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

M BAJBOUJ ◽

U LANG ◽

L NIEHAUS ◽

F HELLEN ◽

I HEUSER ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Electroconvulsive Therapy ◽

Cortical Excitability ◽

Motor Cortical Excitability ◽

Motor Cortical ◽

Depressive Patients

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Adverse effects of electroconvulsive therapy on cognitive performance

Mental Illness ◽

10.1108/mi.2017.7181 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 63-64 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sasha S. Getty ◽

Lawrence R. Faziola

Keyword(s):

Adverse Effects ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Electroconvulsive Therapy

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Volumetric increases in reward circuit correlated with improvement of anticipatory anhedonia in depressive patients after electroconvulsive therapy

Brain Stimulation ◽

10.1016/j.brs.2018.12.407 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 434

Author(s):

M. Cano ◽

E. Lee ◽

C. Soriano-Mas ◽

J. Camprodon

Keyword(s):

Electroconvulsive Therapy ◽

Anticipatory Anhedonia ◽

Depressive Patients ◽

Reward Circuit

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Relapse and long-term cognitive performance after brief pulse or ultrabrief pulse right unilateral electroconvulsive therapy: A multicenter naturalistic follow up

Journal of Affective Disorders ◽

10.1016/j.jad.2015.05.022 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 184 ◽

pp. 137-144 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Esmée Verwijk ◽

Harm-Pieter Spaans ◽

Hannie C. Comijs ◽

King H. Kho ◽

Pascal Sienaert ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Performance ◽

Electroconvulsive Therapy

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Short-Term Cognitive Effects of Unilateral and Bilateral ECT

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.146.3.308 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 146 (3) ◽

pp. 308-311 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Michael Alan Taylor ◽

Richard Abrams

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Clinical Improvement ◽

Electroconvulsive Therapy ◽

Endogenous Depression ◽

Cognitive Effects ◽

Short Term ◽

Cognitive Changes ◽

Significant Clinical Improvement ◽

Neuropsychological Tasks

SummaryWe administered an extensive battery of primarily non-memory neuropsychological tasks to 37 patients with endogenous depression, randomly assigned to either bilateral (B/ECT) or unilateral (U/ECT) electroconvulsive therapy. Testing was done prior to therapy and again shortly after the sixth induced seizure. The two groups did not significantly differ in cognitive impairment, either before or after treatment, and within-group cognitive changes following treatment were small. We conclude that neither B/ECT nor U/ECT substantially worsen non-memory cognitive performance in depressed patients, yet both result in significant clinical improvement.

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