Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T07:51:06.676Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Dichotic Perception and Memory Following Electroconvulsive Treatment for Depression

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Karl M. Williams
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
William G. Iacono*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
Ronald A. Remick
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Patrick Greenwood
Affiliation:
Shaughnessy Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
*
Correspondence

Extract

Verbal and visuospatial memory and dichotic listening performance were examined in 15 acutely depressed patients with no history of ECT, 17 depressed patients currently in remission, 15 remitted depressed patients who had received ECT six months or more in the past, and 20 normal controls. The neuropsychological functioning of an additional group of 10 acutely depressed patients was also studied before and two weeks after ECT. The results revealed some evidence of logical and autobiographical memory impairment two weeks following ECT, but no evidence that ECT impaired dichotic listening ability. Rather, a normalisation of hemispheric laterality was apparent on the dichotic listening task following ECT and the concomitant relief from depression. There was also no evidence of cognitive dysfunction on any task in individuals who were tested six months or more following their last ECT treatment.

Type
Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1990 

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

Altman, J. A., Balanor, L. J. & Deglin, V. L. (1979) Effects of unilateral disorder of the brain hemisphere function in man or directional hearing. Neuropsychologia, 17, 295301.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
American Psychiatric Association (1980) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd edn) (DSM–III). Washington, DC: APA.Google Scholar
Arnst, D. J. (1981) Errors on the staggered spondaic word (SSW) test in a group of adult normal listeners. Ear & Hearing, 2, 112116.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Arnst, D. J. (1982) Overview of the staggered spondaic word test and the competing environmental sounds test. In Central Auditory Assessment: The SSW Test – Development and Clinical Use (eds D. Arnst & J. Katz). San Diego: College Hill Press.Google Scholar
Arnst, D. J. & Katz, J. (1982) Central Auditory Assessment: The SSW Test – Development and Clinical Use. San Diego: College Hill Press.Google Scholar
Beck, A. T., Ward, C. H., Mendelson, M., et al (1961) An inventory for measuring depression. Archives of General Psychiatry, 4, 561571.Google Scholar
Benton, A. L. (1974) The Revised Visual Retention Test (4th edn). New York: Psychological Corporation.Google Scholar
Bidder, T. E., Strain, J. J. & Brunschwig, L. (1970) Bilateral and unilateral ECT: follow-up study and critique. American Journal of Psychiatry, 127, 3744.Google Scholar
Bilikiewicz, A. & Kryszoswki, J. (1964) Application of unilateral electric shocks in psychiatry. Neurologia I. Neurochirurgia Psychiatria Polska, 14, 663669.Google Scholar
Broadbent, D. E. (1956) Successive responses to simultaneous stimuli. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 8, 145162.Google Scholar
Broadbent, D. E. & Gregory, M. (1964) Accuracy of recognition for speech presented to the right and left ears. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 16, 359360.Google Scholar
Bruder, G. E., Sutton, S., Berger-Gross, P., et al (1981) Lateralised auditory processing in depression: dichotic click detection. Psychiatry Research, 4, 253266.Google Scholar
Brunschwig, L., Strain, J. J. & Bidder, T. E. (1971) Issues in the assessment of post-ECT memory changes. British Journal of Psychiatry, 119, 7374.Google Scholar
Cronholm, B. & Molander, L. (1964) Memory disturbances after electroconvulsive therapy. 5. Conditions one month after a series of treatments. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 40, 212216.Google Scholar
Cronholm, B. & Ottoson, J. O. (1961) Memory functions in endogenous depression: before and after electroconvulsive therapy. Archives of General Psychiatry, 5, 101107.Google Scholar
Cronholm, B. & Ottoson, J. O. (1963) The experience of memory function after electroconvulsive therapy. British Journal of Psychiatry, 109, 251258.Google Scholar
Cronin, D., Bodley, P., Potts, L., et al (1970) Unilateral and bilateral ECT: a study of memory disturbances and relief from depression. Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, 33, 705713.Google Scholar
Daniel, W. F., Weiner, R. D. & Crovitz, H. F. (1983) Autobiographical amnesia with ECT: an analysis of the roles of stimulus wave form, electrode placement, stimulus, energy, and seizure length. Biological Psychiatry, 18, 121126.Google Scholar
D'elia, G. (1970) Unilateral electroconvulsive therapy. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica (suppl. 215), 598.Google Scholar
Efron, R. & Crandall, P. H. (1983) Central auditory processing II. Effects of anterior temporal lobectomy. Brain & Language, 19, 235253.Google Scholar
Efron, R., Dennis, M. & Yund, E. W. (1977) The perception of dichotic chords by hemispherectomized subjects. Brain & Language, 4, 537549.Google Scholar
Fink, M. & Johnson, L. (1982) Monitoring duration of ECT seizures: “cuff” and EEG methods compared. Archives of General Psychiatry, 39, 11891191.Google Scholar
Freeman, C. P. L. & Kendell, R. E. (1980) ECT: I. Patients' experiences and attitudes. British Journal of Psychiatry, 137, 1725.Google Scholar
Freeman, C. P. L., Weeks, D. & Kendell, R. E. (1980) ECT: II. Patients who complain. British Journal of Psychiatry, 137, 1725.Google Scholar
Frith, C. D., Stevens, M., Johnstone, E. C., et al (1983) Effects of ECT and depression on various aspects of memory. British Journal of Psychiatry, 142, 610617.Google Scholar
Goldman, H., Gomer, F. E. & Templer, D. I. (1972) Long-term effects of electroconvulsive therapy upon memory and perceptual-motor performance. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 28, 3234.Google Scholar
Halliday, A. M., Davison, K., Browne, M. W., et al (1968) A comparison of the effects on depression and memory of bilateral ECT and unilateral ECT to the dominant and nondominant hemispheres. British Journal of Psychiatry, 114, 9971012.Google Scholar
Hughson, W. & Westlake, H. D. (1944) Manual for program outline for rehabilitation of aural casualties both military and civilian. Transactions; American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology (suppl.), 42, 115.Google Scholar
Inglis, J. (1970) Shock, surgery, and cerebral asymmetry. British Journal of Psychiatry, 117, 143148.Google Scholar
Johnson, O. & Crockett, D. (1982) Changes in perceptual asymmetries with clinical improvement of depression and schizophrenia. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 91, 4554.Google Scholar
Katz, J. (1973) The SSW Test Manual. Brentwood, MO: Auditec of St Louis.Google Scholar
Katz, J. (1985) Handbook of Clinical Audiology (3rd edn). Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins.Google Scholar
Katz, J., Basil, R. A. & Smith, J. M. (1963) A staggered spondaic word test for detecting central auditory lesions. Annals Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology, 72, 908917.Google Scholar
Kimura, D. (1961a) Cerebral dominance and the perception of verbal stimuli. Canadian Psychology, 15, 166171.Google Scholar
Kimura, D. (1961b) Some effects of temporal lobe damage on auditory perception. Canadian Psychology, 15, 156165.Google Scholar
Kimura, D. (1963) Right temporal lobe damage. Archives of Neurology, 8, 264271.Google Scholar
Lishman, W. A., Toone, B.K., Colbourn, C. J. et al (1978) Dichotic listening in psychotic patients. British Journal of Psychiatry, 132, 333341.Google Scholar
Miller, E. (1970) The effect of ECT on memory and learning. British Medical Psychology, 43, 5762.Google Scholar
Moscovitch, M., Strauss, E. & Olds, J. (1981) Handedness and dichotic listening performance in patients with unipolar endogenous depression who received ECT. American Journal of Psychiatry, 138, 988990.Google Scholar
National Institute Of Mental Health (1981) NIMH diagnostic interview schedule: Version III (DHHS Publication No. ADM-T-42-3). Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office.Google Scholar
Netley, C. (1972) Dichotic listening performance of hemisphericectomized patients. Neuropsychologia, 10, 233240.Google Scholar
Oldfield, R. C. (1971) The assessment and analysis of handedness: The Edinburgh inventory. Neuropsychologic, 9, 97113.Google Scholar
Rixecker, H. & Hartje, W. (1980) Kimura's recurring-figures test: a normative study. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 36, 465467.Google Scholar
Schulhoff, C. & Goodclass, H. (1969) Dichotic listening, side of brain injury and cerebral dominance. Neuropsychologic, 7, 149160.Google Scholar
Serafetinides, E. A. (1972) Laterality and voltage in the EEG of psychiatric patients. Diseases of the Nervous System, 33, 622623.Google Scholar
Siegenthaler, B. M. & Knellinger, L. D. (1981) Dichotic listening by brain-injured adults: observation of divergent test responses. Communication Disorders, 14, 399409.Google Scholar
Small, I. F. (1974) Inhalant convulsive therapy. In Psychobiology of Convulsive Therapy (eds M. Fink, S. Kety, J. McGaugh, et al). Washington, DC: V. H. Winston.Google Scholar
Spitzer, J. B. & Ventry, I. M. (1980) Central auditory dysfunction among chronic alcoholics. Archives of Otolaryngology, 106, 224229.Google Scholar
Squire, L. R. & Chace, P. M. (1975) Memory functions six to nine months after electroconvulsive therapy. Archives of General Psychiatry, 32, 15571564.Google Scholar
Squire, L. R., Chace, P. M. & Slater, P. C. (1976) Retrograde amnesia following electroconvulsive therapy. Nature, 260, 775777.Google Scholar
Squire, L. R., Slater, P. C. & Miller, P. L. (1981) Retrograde amnesia and bilateral electroconvulsive therapy. Archives of General Psychiatry, 38, 7995.Google Scholar
Squire, L. R., Wetzel, C. D. & Slater, P. C. (1979) Memory complaint after electroconvulsive therapy: assessment with a new self-rating instrument. Biological Psychiatry, 14, 791801.Google Scholar
Steif, B. L., Sackheim, H. A., Portnoy, S., et al (1986) Effects of depression and ECT on anterograde memory. Biological Psychiatry, 21, 921930.Google Scholar
Templer, D. I., Ruff, C. T. & Armstrong, G. (1973) Cognitive functioning and degree of psychosis in schizophrenics given many electroconvulsive treatments. British Journal of Psychiatry, 123, 441443.Google Scholar
Wechsler, D. (1945) A standardized memory scale for clinical use. Journal of Psychology, 19, 8795.Google Scholar
Wechsler, D. (1981) Manual for the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Revised. New York: Psychological Corporation.Google Scholar
Weeks, D., Freeman, C. P. L. & Kendell, R. E. (1980) ECT: III: Enduring cognitive deficits? British Journal of Psychiatry, 137, 2637.Google Scholar
Wetherby, A. M., Koegel, R. L. & Mendel, M. (1981) Central auditory nervous system dysfunction in echolalic autistic individuals. Speech & Hearing Research, 24, 420429.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yozawitz, A., Bruder, G., Sutton, S., et al (1979) Dichotic perception: evidence for right hemisphere dysfunction in affective psychosis. British Journal of Psychiatry, 135, 224237.Google Scholar
Zurif, E. B. & Ramier, A. M. (1972) Some effects of unilateral brain damage on the perception of dichotically presented phoneme sequences and digits. Neuropsychologic, 10, 103110.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.