Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dsjbd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T07:36:44.571Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Amnesic and Therapeutic Effects of Bilateral and Unilateral ECT

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

C. G. Costello ,
G. P. Belton ,
J. C. Abra  and
B. E. Dunn
C. G. Costello
Affiliation:
University of Calgary
G. P. Belton
Affiliation:
Medicine Hat Junior College
J. C. Abra
Affiliation:
University of Calgary
B. E. Dunn
Affiliation:
University of Calgary
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

A number of studies have appeared (4, 5, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 28, 31, 32) providing evidence suggesting that unilateral ECT admin istered to the non-dominant hemisphere produces less memory impairment than bilateral ECT. It was also concluded in those studies investigating the problem (i.e. all except 10, 14 and 31) that these two methods of treatment do not differ significantly in their therapeutic effects. Some of the studies included a group of patients receiving unilateral ECT to the dominant hemisphere, but the main emphasis in all has concerned differences between unilateral non-dominant and bilateral ECT.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 116 , Issue 530 , January 1970 , pp. 69 - 78
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1970 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Alexander, A. H (1944). ‘Shock therapies. A method of more accurate estimation of their therapeutic efficacy.’ J. nerv. ment. Dis., 99, 922–4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2. Baken, D (1966). ‘The test of significance in psychological research.’ Psychol. Bull., 66, 423–37.Google Scholar
3. Beck, A. T., Ward, C. H., Mendelson, M., Mack, J., and Erbaugh, J (1961). ‘An inventory for measuring depression.’ Arch. gen. Psychiat., 4, 53–634.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4. Cannicott, S. M (1962). ‘Unilateral electro-convulsive therapy.’ Postgrad. med. J., 38, 451–9.Google Scholar
5. Cannicott, S. M. and Waggoner, R. W (1967). ‘Unilateral and bilateral electro-convulsive therapy. A comparative study.’ Arch. gen. Psychiat., 16, 229–32.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6. Costello, C. G., and Belton, G. P (1970). “Depression: Treatment“. In G. G. Costello (Ed.) Symptoms of Psychopathology, New York: John Wiley (in press).Google Scholar
7. Costello, G. G., and Gomrey, A. L (1967). ‘Scales for measuring anxiety and depression.’ J. Psychol. 66, 303–13.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8. Dornbush, Rhea L., and Winnick, Wilma A (1967). ‘Short-term intentional and incidental learning.’ J. exp. Psychol., 73, 608–11.Google Scholar
9. Estes, W. K., and Da Poltto, F (1967). ‘Independent variation of information storage and retrieval processes in paired-associate learning.’ J. exp. Psychol., 75, 18–26.Google Scholar
10. Gottlieb, G., and Wilson, I (1965). ‘Cerebral dominance: Temporary disruption of verbal memory by unilateral electro-convulsive shock treatment.’ J. comp. Physiol. Psychol., 60, 368–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11. Halliday, A. M., Davison, K., Browne, M. W., and Dreeger, L. C (1968). ‘A comparison of the effects on depression and memory of bilateral ECT and Unilateral ECT to the dominant and non-dominant hemispheres.’ Brit. J. Psychiat., 114, 997–1012.Google Scholar
12. Harris, A. J (1958). Harris Tests of Lateral Dominance, Third edition. New York: Psychological Corporation.Google Scholar
13. Huston, P. E., and Locher, L. M (1948). ‘Manic-depressive psychosis. Course when treated and untreated with electric shock.’ Arch. Neurol. Psychiat., 60, 37–48.Google Scholar
14. Impastato, M. S., and Pacella, B. L (1952). ‘Electrically produced unilateral convulsions.’ Dis. nerv. Syst., 13, 368–9.Google Scholar
15. Impastato, M. S., and Pacella, B. L. and Karliner, W (1966). ‘Control of memory impairment in EST by unilateral stimulation of the non-dominant hemisphere.’ Dis. nerv. Syst., 27, 182–8.Google Scholar
16. Karaoulla, s (1950). ‘Evaluation of electric convulsive therapy as compared with conservative methods of treatment in depressive states.’ J. ment. Sci., 96, 1060–91.Google Scholar
17. Lancaster, N., Steinert, R., and Frost, I (1958). ‘Unilateral electro-convulsive therapy.’ J. ment. Sci., 104, 221–7.Google Scholar
18. Levy, R (1968). ‘The clinical evaluation of unilateral electro-convulsive therapy.’ Brit. J. 114, 459–63.Google Scholar
19. McNulty, J. A (1965). ‘Short-term retention as a function of method of measurement, recording time, and meaningfulness of the material.’ Canad. J. Psychol., 19, 188–96.Google Scholar
20. Martin, W. L., Ford, H. F., McDonald, E. C., and Towler, M. L (1965). ‘Clinical evaluation of unilateral EST.’ Amer. J. Psychiat., 121, 1087–90.Google Scholar
21. Mosely, E. C., and Klett, C. J (1964). ‘An empirical comparison of factor scoring methods.’ Psychol. Reports, 14, 179–84.Google Scholar
22. Ottosson, J (1960). ‘Experimental studies of the therapeutic action of electro-convulsive therapy in endogenous depression. The role of the electrical stimulation and of the seizure studied by variation of stimulus intensity and modification by lidocaine of seizure discharge.’ Acta psychiat. Scand., 35, Suppl. 145, 69–102.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
23. Schonfield, D., and Robertson, B (1966). ‘Memory storage and aging.’ Canad. J. Psychol., 20, 228–36.Google Scholar
24. Sedivy, J., and Kausler, D. H (1966). ‘R-S recall and recognition as functions of stimulus and response meaningfulness.’ Psychom. Sci., 4, 229–30.Google Scholar
25. Thorndike, E. C. and Lorge, I (1944). The Teacher's Word Book 0/30,000 Words. New York: Bureau of Publications, Teachers College, Columbia University.Google Scholar
26. Underwood, B. J (1954). ‘Speed of learning and amount retained: A consideration of methodology.’ Psychol. Bull., 51, 276–82.Google Scholar
27. Underwood, B. J (1964). ‘Degree of learning and the measurement of forgetting.’ J. verb. Learn. verb. Behav., 3, 112–29.Google Scholar
28. Valentile, M., Keddie, K. M. G., and Dunne, D (1968). ‘A comparison of techniques in electro-convulsive therapy.’ Brit. J. Psychiat., 114, 989–96.Google Scholar
29. Weckowicz, T. E., Muir, W., and Cropley, A. J (1967). ‘A factor analysis of the Beck Inventory of Depression.’ J. consult. Pachol., 31, 23–8.Google Scholar
30. Winer, B. J (1962). Statistical Principles in Experimental Design. New York: McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
31. Zamora, E. N., and Kaelbling, R (1965). ‘Memory and electro-convulsive therapy.’ Amer. J. Psychiat., 112, 546–54.Google Scholar
32. Zinkin, Sheila, and Birtchnell, J (1968). ‘Unilateral electro-convulsive therapy: Its effects on memory and its therapeutic efficacy.’ Brit. J. Psychiat., 114, 973–88.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.