Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T08:09:47.936Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Maintenance electroconvulsive therapy and cognitive function

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2018

Richard C. Barnes ,
Ali Hussein ,
David N. Anderson  and
David Powell
Richard C. Barnes
Affiliation:
Whiston Hospital, Prescot, Merseyside
Ali Hussein
Affiliation:
North Mersey Community NHS Trust, Liverpool
David N. Anderson*
Affiliation:
North Mersey Community NHS Trust, Liverpool
David Powell
Affiliation:
North Mersey Community NHS Trust, Liverpool
*
Dr D. N. Anderson, Sir Douglas Crawford Unit, Mossley Hill Hospital, Park Avenue, Liverpool LI8 8BU
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background

ECT is rarely used as a prophylactic treatment. A 74-year-old woman with unstable bipolar affective disorder receiving maintenance ECT presented a unique opportunity to measure the cognitive effects of continuing ECT.

Method

A single case report with serial psychometric testing during over 400 ECT treatments as a single maintenance treatment.

Results

Serial testing did not demonstrate progressive cognitive deterioration, but consistent cognitive deficits typical of acute treatment were evident. The degree of cognitive difficulty may be related to the frequency of treatment.

Conclusions

Maintenance ECT can be an effective prophylactic treatment for selected patients. Cognitive effects would appear to be no greater than with acute treatment and seem to be non-progressive.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 170 , Issue 3 , March 1997 , pp. 285 - 287
Copyright
Copyright © 1997 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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

Calev, A., Gaudino, E. A., Squires, N. K., et al (1995) ECT and non-memory cognition: A review. British Journal of Clinical Psychology. 34, 505–516.Google Scholar
Hay, A. G. & Scott, A. I. F. (1994) Electroconsulsive therapy and brain dannage. British journal of Psychiatry, 164, 120–121.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kandrick, D. C. (1985) Kendrick Cognitive Tests for the Elderly. Windsor: NFER-Nelson.Google Scholar
McKay, A. P., Tarbuck, A. F., Shaplesta, J., et al (1995) Neuropsychological function in manic-depressive psychosis. Evidence for persistent deficits in patients with chronic, severe illness. British Journal of Psychiatry. 167, 51–57.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nelson, H. E. (1982) Nationl Adult Reading Test: Test Manual. Windsor: NFER-Nelson.Google Scholar
Royal Collogo of Piychiatrist (1989) The Practical Administration of Electroconvdsive Therapy. Royal College of Psychiatrists.Google Scholar
Stevenson, G. H. & Googhogon, J. J. (1951) Prophylactic electroshock: A 5 year study. American journal of Psychiatry, 107, 743–748.Google Scholar
Vanelle, J.-M., Loo, H., Galinowski, A., et al (1994) Maintenance ECT in intractable manic-depressive disorders. Convulsive Therapy. 10, 195–205.Google Scholar
Wechsler, D. (1981) Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Revised Manual. New York: The Psychological Corporation.Google Scholar
Wechsler, D. (1987) Wechsler Memory Scale – Revised Manual. New York: The Psychotogical Corporation.Google Scholar
Wilkinson, A. M., Anderson, D. N. & Peters, S. (1993) Age and the effects of ECT. Internationl Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 8, 401–406.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.