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A Controlled Comparison of Simulated and Real ECT

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

J. Lambourn  and
D. Gill
J. Lambourn
Affiliation:
Knowle Hospital, Fareham, Hants; Southampton University Medical School
D. Gill
Affiliation:
Knowle Hospital, Fareham, Hants
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Summary

Two groups of 16 patients with depressive psychosis took part in a controlled evaluation of electro-convulsive therapy (ECT). One group received six brief pulse unilateral shocks under conventional anaesthesia and muscle relaxation; the second group underwent the same procedure without receiving shocks. Outcome was assessed by a separate investigator using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression under double-blind conditions. The results showed that this form of ECT was only superior to the control treatment for one item in the scale, a finding which could have occurred by chance. The results suggest that the ECT pre-treatment procedure has an important therapeutic effect. This casts some doubt on current views of the effectiveness of electro-convulsive therapy in general, and of brief pulse unilateral ECT in particular.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 133 , Issue 6 , December 1978 , pp. 514 - 519
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1978 

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