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Diencephalic Stimulation and the Effects of Ect in Endogenous Depression

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Richard Abrams  and
Michael Alan Taylor
Richard Abrams
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Health Sciences/The Chicago Medical School; formerly at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York at Stony Brook
Michael Alan Taylor
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Health Sciences/The Chicago Medical School; formerly at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York at Stony Brook
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Summary

We compared conventional bilateral ECT treatment electrode placement with simultaneous unilateral electrode placement to both sides of the head (dominant/nondominant unilateral ECT) in 20 patients with endogenous depression. Under double-blind random assignment conditions we found that six bilateral ECT were significantly more effective than six dominant/nondominant unilateral ECT in reducing depression rating scale scores. In the light of data from intracerebral ECT current distribution studies we interpret our findings to support our previously advanced hypothesis that diencephalic stimulation is requisite for the therapeutic benefit of bilateral ECT in endogenous depression.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 129 , Issue 5 , November 1976 , pp. 482 - 485
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1976 

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