What was learned: studies by the consortium for research in ECT (CORE) 1997-2011

Correlation Between ECT Quality Measures and Likelihood to Transition From Acute to Continuation and Maintenance ECT

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the association between 3 ECT quality measures (seizure duration, Postictal Suppression Index [PSI], and heart rate response) and therapeutic compliance as indicated by transitioning from acute to continuation to maintenance phases of ECT.

METHODS

This was a retrospective chart review of patients who received ECT between July 2016 and July 2019. ECT quality measures were lagged by 1 ECT session to examine the effect of the prior session's quality measure on progressing to a higher ECT phase at the subsequent ECT session. Associations with therapeutic compliance were analyzed using mixed-effects ordinal regression and mixed-effects partial proportional odds models.

RESULTS

Seizure duration was associated with 8% higher adjusted odds of progressing to out of the acute phase (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2% to 15%, P = 0.007) and 18% higher adjusted odds of progressing to the maintenance phase (95% CI: 10% to 28%, P < 0.001); PSI was associated with 9% higher adjusted odds of progressing out of the acute phase (95% CI: 3% to 16%, P = 0.005), whereas heart rate response was not statistically associated with therapeutic compliance. Greater therapeutic compliance was also associated with bilateral electrode placement and older age.

CONCLUSIONS

Longer seizure duration was associated with greater therapeutic compliance across all ECT phases, PSI was associated with progressing out of the acute phase, and heart rate response was not associated with therapeutic compliance. Our findings assist ECT psychiatrists in optimizing ECT quality measures to promote better compliance with ECT.

The effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on cognitive function recovery in patients with depression following electroconvulsive therapy (ECT): protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a highly effective treatment for depressive disorder. However, the use of ECT is limited by its cognitive side effects (CSEs), and no specific intervention has been developed to address this problem. As transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a safe and useful tool for improving cognitive function, the main objective of this study was to explore the ability to use tDCS after ECT to ameliorate the cognitive side effects.

METHODS

60 eligible participants will be recruited within two days after completing ECT course and randomly assigned to receive either active or sham stimulation in a blinded, parallel-design trial and continue their usual pharmacotherapy. The tDCS protocol consists of 30-min sessions at 2 mA, 5 times per week for 2 consecutive weeks, applied through 15-cm2 electrodes. An anode will be placed over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and a cathode will be placed over the right supraorbital cortex. Cognitive function and depressive symptoms will be assessed before the first stimulation (T0), after the final stimulation (T1), 2 weeks after the final stimulation (T2), and 4 weeks after the final stimulation (T3) using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB).

DISCUSSION

We describe a novel clinical trial to explore whether the administration of tDCS after completing ECT course can accelerates recovery from the CSEs. We hypothesized that the active group would recover faster from the CSEs and be superior to the sham group. If our hypothesis is supported, the use of tDCS could benefit eligible patients who are reluctant to receive ECT and reduce the risk of self-inflicted or suicide due to delays in treatment.

TRIAL REGISTRATION DETAILS

The trial protocol is registered with https://www.chictr.org.cn/ under protocol registration number ChiCTR2300071147 (date of registration: 05.06.2023). Recruitment will start in November 2023.

Unmasking patient diversity: Exploring cognitive and antidepressive effects of electroconvulsive therapy

BACKGROUND

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an established treatment for depression, but more data on effectiveness and safety in clinical practice is needed. The aim of this register-based study was to investigate short-term effectiveness and cognitive safety after ECT, evaluated by clinicians and patients. Secondary, we investigated predictors for remission and cognitive decline.

METHODS

The study included 392 patients from the Regional Register for Neurostimulation Treatment in Western Norway. Depressive symptoms and cognitive function were assessed with Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale and Mini-Mental State Examination (clinician-rated) and Beck Depression Inventory and Everyday Memory Questionnaire (patient-rated). Assessments were done prior to ECT-series and a mean of 1.7 days after (range 6 days before and 12 days after) end of ECT-series. Paired samples t-tests were extended by detailed, clinically relevant subgroups. Predictors were examined using logistic regression.

RESULTS

Clinician- and patient-rated remission rates were 49.5 and 41.0%, respectively. There was a large reduction in depressive symptoms and a small improvement in cognition after ECT, but we also identified subgroups with non-response of ECT in combination with cognitive decline (4.6% clinician-rated, 15.7% patient-rated). Positive predictors for patient- and clinician-rated remission were increasing age, shorter duration of depressive episode, and psychotic features. Antipsychotic medication at the commencement of treatment and previous ECT-treatment gave higher odds of clinician-rated remission, whereas higher pretreatment subjective depression level was associated with lower odds for patient-rated remission. Clinician-rated cognitive decline was predicted by higher pretreatment MMSE scores, whereas psychotic features, increasing age, and greater pretreatment subjective memory concerns were associated with lower odds for patient-rated cognitive decline.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study supports ECT as an effective and safe treatment, although subgroups have a less favorable outcome. ECT should be considered at an early stage for older patients suffering from depression with psychotic features. Providing comprehensive and balanced information from clinicians and patients perspectives on effects and side effects, may assist in a joint consent process.

Electroconvulsive therapy or clozapine for adolescents with treatment-resistant schizophrenia: an explorative analysis on symptom dimensions

OBJECTIVE

This study sought to compare pre-intervention patient characteristics and post-intervention outcomes in a naturalistic sample of adolescent inpatients with treatment-resistant psychotic symptoms who received either electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) or clozapine.

METHODS

Data of adolescents with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder receiving ECT or clozapine were retrospectively collected from two tertiary-care psychiatry-teaching university hospitals. Subscale scores of the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) factors were calculated according to the five-factor solution. Baseline demographics, illness characteristics, and post-intervention outcomes were compared.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference between patients receiving ECT (n = 13) and clozapine (n = 66) in terms of age, sex, and the duration of hospital stay. The ECT group more commonly had higher overall illness and aggression severity. Smoking was less frequent in the clozapine group. Baseline resistance/excitement symptom severity was significantly higher in the ECT group, while positive, negative, affect, disorganisation, and total symptom scores were not. Both interventions provided a significant reduction in PANSS scores with large effect sizes.

CONCLUSION

Both ECT and clozapine yielded high effectiveness rates in adolescents with treatment-resistant schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder. Youth receiving ECT were generally more activated than those who received clozapine.

Sex-specifics of ECT outcome

OBJECTIVE

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the most effective treatment for patients with severe major depressive disorder (MDD). Given the known sex differences in MDD, improved knowledge may provide more sex-specific recommendations in clinical guidelines and improve outcome. In the present study we examine sex differences in ECT outcome and its predictors.

METHODS

Clinical data from 20 independent sites participating in the Global ECT-MRI Research Collaboration (GEMRIC) were obtained for analysis, totaling 500 patients with MDD (58.6 % women) with a mean age of 54.8 years. Severity of depression before and after ECT was assessed with validated depression scales. Remission was defined as a HAM-D score of 7 points or below after ECT. Variables associated with remission were selected based on literature (i.e. depression severity at baseline, age, duration of index episode, and presence of psychotic symptoms).

RESULTS

Remission rates of ECT were independent of sex, 48.0 % in women and 45.7 % in men (X²(1) = 0.2, p = 0.70). In the logistic regression analyses, a shorter index duration was identified as a sex-specific predictor for ECT outcome in women (X²(1) = 7.05, p = 0.01). The corresponding predictive margins did show overlapping confidence intervals for men and women.

CONCLUSION

The evidence provided by our study suggests that ECT as a biological treatment for MDD is equally effective in women and men. A shorter duration of index episode was an additional sex- specific predictor for remission in women. Future research should establish whether the confidence intervals for the corresponding predictive margins are overlapping, as we find, or not.

Changes in perfusion, and structure of hippocampal subfields related to cognitive impairment after ECT: A pilot study using ultra high field MRI

BACKGROUND

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in patients with major depression is associated with volume changes and markers of neuroplasticity in the hippocampus, in particular in the dentate gyrus. It is unclear if these changes are associated with cognitive side effects.

OBJECTIVES

We investigated whether changes in cognitive functioning after ECT were associated with hippocampal structural changes. It was hypothesized that 1) volume increase of hippocampal subfields and 2) changes in perfusion and diffusion of the hippocampus correlated with cognitive decline.

METHODS

Using ultra high field (7 T) MRI, intravoxel incoherent motion and volumetric data were acquired and neurocognitive functioning was assessed before and after ECT in 23 patients with major depression. Repeated measures correlation analysis was used to examine the relation between cognitive functioning and structural characteristics of the hippocampus.

RESULTS

Left hippocampal volume, left and right dentate gyrus and right CA1 volume increase correlated with decreases in verbal memory functioning. In addition, a decrease of mean diffusivity in the left hippocampus correlated with a decrease in letter fluency.

LIMITATIONS

Due to methodological restrictions direct study of neuroplasticity is not possible. MRI is used as an indirect measure.

CONCLUSION

As both volume increase in the hippocampus and MD decrease can be interpreted as indirect markers for neuroplasticity that co-occur with a decrease in cognitive functioning, our results may indicate that neuroplastic processes are affecting cognitive processes after ECT.

Mirror-Image Comparison of Maintenance Electroconvulsive Treatment Effectiveness in Affective and Psychotic Disorders

OBJECTIVES

The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of maintenance electroconvulsive therapy (mECT) with respect to the hospitalization duration, number of hospitalizations, and major and minor treatment changes with a mirror-image study design.

METHODS

Medical charts of patients who received at least a 3-month-long course of mECT were reviewed. The records of 36 patients (17 with psychotic disorders, 19 with affective disorders) were retrospectively examined for 2 periods with the same duration; during the mECT (post-mECT) and before the mECT (pre-mECT). The hospitalization duration, the number of hospitalizations, and major and minor treatment changes, which were assumed to provide information on the effectiveness of the interventions, were recorded and compared between these periods. Statistical analysis was performed using generalized estimating equation models conducted with age, diagnostic category, and observation time as covariates. In addition, the relapse and recurrence rates and time to relapse/recurrence were analyzed.

RESULTS

Comparison of pre-mECT and post-mECT periods revealed that mECT, applied in an individualized schedule combined with pharmacotherapy, was associated with a lower frequency ( P < 0.001; rate ratio [RR], 0.161; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.087-0.297), shorter duration of hospitalization ( P < 0.001; RR, 0.123; 95% CI, 0.056-0.271), and lower number of major treatment changes ( P = 0.007; RR, 0.522; 95% CI, 0.324-0.840), irrespective of diagnoses. The relapse/recurrence rates were similar in the 2 diagnostic categories ( P = 1.000; 26.3% vs 29.4%).

CONCLUSIONS

Maintenance ECT should be increasingly considered an important treatment modality in patients with affective and psychotic disorders after an effective course of ECT.

Association Between Polygenic Risk Scores and Outcome of ECT

OBJECTIVE

Identifying biomarkers associated with response to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may aid clinical decisions. The authors examined whether greater polygenic liabilities for major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia are associated with improvement following ECT for a major depressive episode.

METHODS

Between 2013 and 2017, patients who had at least one treatment series recorded in the Swedish National Quality Register for ECT were invited to provide a blood sample for genotyping. The present study included 2,320 participants (median age, 51 years; 62.8% women) who had received an ECT series for a major depressive episode (77.1% unipolar depression), who had a registered treatment outcome, and whose polygenic risk scores (PRSs) could be calculated. Ordinal logistic regression was used to estimate the effect of PRS on Clinical Global Impressions improvement scale (CGI-I) score after each ECT series.

RESULTS

Greater PRS for major depressive disorder was significantly associated with less improvement on the CGI-I (odds ratio per standard deviation, 0.89, 95% CI=0.82, 0.96; R²=0.004), and greater PRS for bipolar disorder was associated with greater improvement on the CGI-I (odds ratio per standard deviation, 1.14, 95% CI=1.05, 1.23; R²=0.005) after ECT. PRS for schizophrenia was not associated with improvement. In an overlapping sample (N=1,207) with data on response and remission derived from the self-rated version of the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale, results were similar except that schizophrenia PRS was also associated with remission.

CONCLUSIONS

Improvement after ECT is associated with polygenic liability for major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder, providing evidence of a genetic component for ECT clinical response. These liabilities may be considered along with clinical predictors in future prediction models of ECT outcomes.

Electroconvulsive therapy effects on anhedonia and reward circuitry anatomy: A dimensional structural neuroimaging approach

BACKGROUND

Anhedonia is a core symptom of major depressive disorder (MDD) resulting from maladaptive reward processing. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective treatment for patients with MDD. No previous neuroimaging studies have taken a dimensional approach to assess whether ECT-induced volume changes are specifically related to improvements in anhedonia and positive valence emotional constructs. We aimed to assess the relationship between ECT-induced brain volumetric changes and improvement in anhedonia and reward processing in patients with MDD.

METHODS

We evaluated 15 patients with MDD before and after ECT. We used magnetic resonance imaging, clinical scales (i.e., Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology for syndromal depression severity and Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale for anhedonia) and the Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale for anticipatory and consummatory experiences of pleasure. We identified 5 regions of interest within the reward circuit and a 6th control region relevant for MDD but not core to the reward system (Brodmann Area 25).

RESULTS

Anhedonia, anticipatory and consummatory reward processing improved after ECT. Volume increases within the right reward system separated anhedonia responders and non-responders. Improvement in anticipatory (but not consummatory) reward correlated with increases in volume in hippocampus, amygdala, ventral tegmental area and nucleus accumbens.

LIMITATIONS

We evaluated a modest sample size of patients with concurrent pharmacological treatment using a subjective psychometric assessment.

CONCLUSIONS

We highlight the importance of a dimensional and circuit-based approach to understanding target engagement and the mechanism of action of ECT, with the goal to define symptom- and circuit-specific response biomarkers for device neuromodulation therapies.

Parsing the Network Mechanisms of Electroconvulsive Therapy

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is one of the oldest and most effective forms of neurostimulation, wherein electrical current is used to elicit brief, generalized seizures under general anesthesia. When electrodes are positioned to target frontotemporal cortex, ECT is arguably the most effective treatment for severe major depression, with response rates and times superior to other available antidepressant therapies. Neuroimaging research has been pivotal in improving the field's mechanistic understanding of ECT, with a growing number of magnetic resonance imaging studies demonstrating hippocampal plasticity after ECT, in line with evidence of upregulated neurotrophic processes in the hippocampus in animal models. However, the precise roles of the hippocampus and other brain regions in antidepressant response to ECT remain unclear. Seizure physiology may also play a role in antidepressant response to ECT, as indicated by early positron emission tomography, single-photon emission computed tomography, and electroencephalography research and corroborated by recent magnetic resonance imaging studies. In this review, we discuss the evidence supporting neuroplasticity in the hippocampus and other brain regions during and after ECT, and their associations with antidepressant response. We also offer a mechanistic, circuit-level model that proposes that core mechanisms of antidepressant response to ECT involve thalamocortical and cerebellar networks that are active during seizure generalization and termination over repeated ECT sessions, and their interactions with corticolimbic circuits that are dysfunctional prior to treatment and targeted with the electrical stimulus.

Dosing methods in electroconvulsive therapy: should the Scandinavian time-titration method be resumed?

AIM

To describe and evaluate the different dosing methods in ECT, and bringing back into focus the Scandinavian time-titration method.

METHOD

A narrative, unsystematic, and selective review and discussion.

RESULTS

There are five dosing methods: 1) The Scandinavian time-titration to tonic convulsion, using low-frequency pulses and a long maximal pulse train duration, was highly efficacious with right unilateral (RUL) ECT, comparable to bitemporal (BT) ECT. However, the device used went out of production in the 1990s. Because US devices until 1990 had a short maximal pulse train duration, time-titration went out of use. 2) Fixed high dosing at 50-100% of the device's maximal output, and 3) Formula-based dosing, initially the Age method, long prevailed in USA. Later, the Half-Age method was introduced for BT ECT. 4) Charge-dosing as a multiple of titrated seizure threshold (ST) demonstrated RUL and BT ECT to have comparable outcomes when dosed about six and two times the ST, respectively. 5) Dosing from benchmark is based on a high dose at the first session, to ensure a high peak heart rate and tonic-clonic convulsions. In later sessions the lowest dose producing similar outcomes is chosen.

CONCLUSIONS

No dosing method is documented superior to the others. Seizure threshold-based and benchmark dosing seems to be more accurate than fixed high and formula-based dosing. However, time-titration dosing makes it possible to adjust the dose at every session, and may be the most efficient method.

Acute Mania and Catatonia in a Teenager Successfully Treated with Electroconvulsive Therapy and Diagnosed with Turner Syndrome and Bipolar Disorder

Background

Turner syndrome (TS) is an X-linked chromosomal abnormality with a global prevalence of 1/2000 live-born girls. The physiological symptoms of TS have been thoroughly characterized, but only a few studies have described associated psychiatric symptoms. We report a case of an adolescent girl who presented with acute mania with psychotic features and was successfully treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). She was subsequently diagnosed with bipolar syndrome and TS. Case Presentation. A 17-year-old girl presented to us with manic symptoms, including disorganized speech, auditory hallucinations, and affect lability. Initially, she was treated with antipsychotics and benzodiazepines, whereby the positive affective symptoms declined. However, the psychotic symptoms progressed, and she developed a catatonic state. ECT was started 6 days after admission, with improvement after two treatments. When ECT was tapered after seven sessions, she relapsed, and the treatment was extended to twelve sessions, with successful outcome. Following discharge, she was diagnosed with TS with partial loss on one of the X-chromosomes (46X, del (X)(p21)), which might have contributed to the development of her sudden acute manic episode.

Conclusions

This case demonstrates for the first time that ECT may be a safe and efficient treatment strategy for acute mania in adolescents with concomitant TS and that severely affected adolescents may require a prolonged series with gradual tapering of ECT. The present case also demonstrates a possible association between TS and bipolar syndrome and that the clinical presentation of a manic episode in a patient with this comorbidity could be more complex and the treatment response slower.

The Effects of Focal Electrically Administered Seizure Therapy Compared With Ultrabrief Pulse Right Unilateral Electroconvulsive Therapy on Suicidal Ideation: A 2-Site Clinical Trial

BACKGROUND

Preliminary data suggest that focal electrically administered seizure therapy (FEAST) has antidepressant effects and less adverse cognitive effects than traditional forms of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). This study compared the impact of FEAST and ultrabrief pulse, right unilateral (UB-RUL) ECT on suicidal ideation.

METHODS

At 2 sites, patients in a major depressive episode were treated openly with FEAST or UB-RUL ECT, depending on their preference. The primary outcome measure was scores on the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (SSI). Scores on the suicide item of the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD-SI) provided a secondary outcome measure.

RESULTS

Thirty-nine patients were included in the intent-to-treat sample (FEAST, n = 20; UB-RUL ECT, n = 19). Scores on both the SSI and HRSD-SI were equivalently reduced with both interventions. Both responders and nonresponders to the interventions showed substantial reductions in SSI and HRSD-SI scores, although the magnitude of improvement was greater among treatment responders.

CONCLUSIONS

Although limited by the open-label, nonrandomized design, FEAST showed comparable effects on suicidal ideation when compared with routine use of UB-RUL ECT. These results are encouraging and support the need for further research and a noninferiority trial.

Electroconvulsive Therapy and Age: Effectiveness, Safety and Tolerability in the Treatment of Major Depression among Patients under and over 65 Years of Age

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) remains the most effective therapy in treatment-resistant depression. However, the safety of ECT has been consistently questioned, particularly among elderly patients. We assessed the efficacy and safety of ECT in patients before and after 65 years old. The study was conducted between 2015 and 2018 and included 91 patients (61 under and 29 over 65 years old) with major depression undergoing ECT. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale was used to evaluate efficacy. Cognitive functions were assessed using: MMSE, RAVLT, Trail Making Test, Stroop Test and Autobiographical Memory Interview-Short Form. ECT was more effective in older patients as compared to younger (p < 0.001). No serious adverse events were observed in either group. Increased blood pressure and arrhythmias were more common in the older compared to the younger group (p = 0.044 and p = 0.047, respectively), while disturbances of consciousness did not differ between groups (p = 0.820). Most of the cognitive functions remained unchanged compared to baseline, whereas the outcomes of MMSE, RAVLT and Stroop tests showed greater improvements in the older compared to the younger group (all p < 0.05). The decline in the retrieval consistency of autobiographical memory was more pronounced in the younger group (p = 0.024). ECT is a highly effective, safe and well-tolerated method of treating depression regardless of age.

Factors Predicting Ictal Quality in Bilateral Electroconvulsive Therapy Sessions

In electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), ictal characteristics predict treatment response and can be modified by changes in seizure threshold and in the ECT technique. We aimed to study the impact of ECT procedure-related variables that interact during each session and might influence the seizure results. Two hundred and fifty sessions of bilateral ECT in forty-seven subjects were included. Seizure results were evaluated by two different scales of combined ictal EEG parameters (seizure quality index (SQI) and seizure adequacy markers sum (SAMS) scores) and postictal suppression rating. Repeated measurement regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of each session’s three outcome variables. Univariate models identified age, physical status, hyperventilation, basal oxygen saturation, days between sessions, benzodiazepines, lithium, and tricyclic antidepressants as predictors of seizure quality. Days elapsed between sessions, higher oxygen saturation and protocolized hyperventilation application were significant predictors of better seizure quality in both scales used in multivariate models. Additionally, lower ASA classification influenced SQI scores as well as benzodiazepine use and lithium daily doses were predictors of SAMS scores. Higher muscle relaxant doses and lower applied stimulus intensities significantly influenced the postictal suppression rating. The study found several modifiable procedural factors that impacted the obtained seizure characteristics; they could be adjusted to optimize ECT session results.

Mental Health Nurse experiences of delivering care to severely depressed adults receiving electroconvulsive therapy

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: ECT is a fast-working and potentially life-saving treatment, but it is still considered a controversial treatment choice. Due to lack of knowledge and public stigma, ECT can be an anxiety-inducing treatment for people experiencing severe depression. The nurse's role is to alleviate this anxiety, aid recovery and minimize the risk of relapse. They manage this onerous task ideally through the therapeutic relationship, and use the skills of assessment and risk identification in order to maximize patient outcomes. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: The views of mental health nurses who provide care for adults receiving treatment of ECT for severe depressive illness are in the main positive. The knowledge of and attitude towards ECT among nurses may reflect on patients and influence treatment choice. If stigma is not addressed, then patients will not be appropriately informed regarding their treatment options. Mental health nurses need to engage in reflective practice to ensure that the dignity of the patient is maintained throughout this treatment. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Mental Health nurses should engage with additional training, formalized clinical supervision and avail of peer support in order to improve confidence, skills and quality of care in the delivery of ECT. Education modules should include a presentation of evidence of effectiveness of ECT as a treatment option. Dialogue among mental healthcare colleagues is important about caring for people presenting for ECT treatment. This will ensure that the mental health nurse can remain cognizant of the potential for patient distress throughout this treatment. ABSTRACT: Background There is a considerable dearth of literature on attitudes towards Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) as a treatment for severe depression. Despite being a highly effective treatment, it is still stigmatized even among professionals. Understanding perceptions and knowledge related to ECT treatment among healthcare providers is important for ensuring that treatment can be safely explored as a treatment option with patients. Aim The overall aim of this study is to explore the views of mental health nurses who provide nursing care to people receiving ECT for severe depressive illness in a mental health setting. Methods This is a qualitative study using focus groups (n = 2) with 14 mental health nurses who had a minimum of 3 months experience caring for older adults receiving ECT. Transcripts were subjected to a thematic analysis. Full ethical approval was granted for this study. Results In total, four themes were identified exploring attitudinal changes, managing patient dignity, reflecting changes in practice and managing the unknown. In general, participants experienced ECT as a positive treatment option for adults with severe depressive illness contributing to an enhanced quality of life. Conclusion Findings indicate a desire to improve person-centred care for patients undergoing ECT. Educational support for nurses who work in this area would improve confidence on work practices and lead to improved patient experience. Mental health personnel without direct experience of the treatment should be exposed to educational modules to decrease stigma and to best facilitate informed decision-making among the patient cohort.

Right unilateral versus bilateral formula-based electroconvulsive therapy in the treatment of major depression in elderly patients: a randomised, open label, pilot controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) remains the most effective treatment of depression in the elderly population; however, it is still unclear which type of ECT is most beneficial in this population. The aims of this study were: (i) to assess the feasibility of a randomised controlled trial in elderly depressed patients treated with right unilateral (RUL) or fronto-temporal bilateral (BT) formula-based ECT; (ii) to compare formula-based RUL and BT ECT in terms of efficacy, safety and tolerability in this population.

METHODS

The study lasted 3 years and managed to randomise 29 patients over 65 years old to receive either BT (n = 14) or RUL (n = 15) ECT. Brief pulse width (0.5 ms) and age-based dosing method were applied. The clinical efficacy was assessed using Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, somatic state was monitored throughout the ECT course. In neuropsychological examination general cognitive performance, executive functions, verbal fluency, memory, autobiographical memory were evaluated.

RESULTS

The recruitment was poor due to small number of patients able to give informed consent. ECT proved to be a highly effective and safe method of treatment among elders. Formula-based RUL ECT did not differ from BT in antidepressant efficacy and had cognitive advantages - the indices of general cognitive performance, verbal fluency and memory were significantly better than before the treatment in the RUL group. Decline in retrieval consistency of autobiographical memory was more pronounced in the BT group, although it was observed across both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Formula-based RUL ECT might not differ from BT in antidepressant efficacy and has an advantage in terms of tolerability.

Lithium Is Likely to Persist in the Brain: Clinical Implications for Electroconvulsive Therapy

ABSTRACT

Electroconvulsive therapy and concomitant lithium therapy remain a matter of debate because of increased rates of adverse events. Current recommendations include monitoring lithium levels and reducing lithium to minimally effective dose. We present a report on protracted effects of lithium intoxication as electroconvulsive therapy 8 days after intoxication and under normal lithium serum levels resulted in a prolonged seizure. Electroencephalogram recordings before stimulation showed electroencephalogram correlates of subsiding lithium intoxication most likely due to protracted lithium influx and efflux of the central nervous system.

Case report: delayed response after electroconvulsive therapy in a patient with major depressive disorder

BACKGROUND

Major depressive disorder and associated mood syndromes are amongst the most common psychiatric disorders. To date, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is considered the most effective short-term treatment for patients with severe or treatment-resistant depression. In clinical practice, there is considerable variation in the ECT dosing schedule, with the number of sessions typically ranging from 6 to 12, with early antidepressant effects being predictive of increased positive outcomes. We describe here an unusual case of a female patient with severe depression who did not respond to ECT until the 11th session, after which she had shown a drastic improvement in her mental state.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 75-year-old female presented to the old age psychiatry inpatient unit with new onset dysphoric mood, anhedonia, and severe negativity. She scored 23 on the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), and was rated 6 on Clinical Global Impression severity (CGIS) by the responsible clinician. She suffered from post-natal depression fifty years ago and was successfully treated with ECT. She was therefore initiated on a course of ECT treatment. Her condition initially deteriorated, displaying features of catatonia and psychosis, unresponsive to ECT treatment or concurrent psychotropic medications. After 11th ECT session, she started to show signs of clinical improvement and returned close to her baseline mental state after a total of 17 ECT sessions. She remained well 3 months post-treatment, scoring 4 on HAM-D, Clinical Global Improvement or change (CGI-C) rated as 1 (very much improved). The diagnosis was ICD-10 F32.3 severe depressive episode with psychotic symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

we describe here an unusual case of delayed response to electroconvulsive therapy in the treatment of severe depressive disorder. Studies have shown the number of acute ECT treatments to be highly variable, affected by a number of factors including treatment frequency, condition treated and its severity, the ECT technical parameters, as well as concurrent use of pharmacological treatment. This may call for re-consideration of the current ECT treatment guidelines, requiring more research to help stratify and standardize the treatment regime.

Maintenance Electroconvulsive Therapy Is an Essential Medical Treatment for Patients With Catatonia: A COVID-19 Related Experience

Aim: Describe naturalistic clinical course over 14 weeks in a mixed adolescent and a young-adult patient group diagnosed with developmental delays and catatonia, when the frequency of maintenance electroconvulsive therapy (M-ECT) was reduced secondary to 2020 COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Methods: Participants were diagnosed with catatonia, and were receiving care in a specialized clinic. They (n = 9), F = 5, and M = 4, ranged in age from 16 to 21 years; ECT frequency was reduced at end of March 2020 due to institutional restrictions. Two parents/caregivers elected to discontinue ECT due to concern for COVID-19 transmission. Majority (n = 8) were developmentally delayed with some degree of intellectual disability (ID). Observable symptoms were rated on a three point scale during virtual visits. Results: All cases experienced clinically significant decline. Worsening of motor symptoms (agitation, aggression, slowness, repetitive self-injury, stereotypies, speech deficits) emerged within the first 3 weeks, persisted over the 14 week observation period and were more frequent than neurovegetative symptoms (appetite, incontinence, sleep). Four participants deteriorated requiring rehospitalization, and 2 among these 4 needed a gastrostomy feeding tube. Conclusion: Moderate and severe symptoms became apparent in all 9 cases during the observation period; medication adjustments were ineffective; resuming M-ECT at each participant's baseline schedule, usually by week 7, resulted in progressive improvement in some cases but the improvement was insufficient to prevent re-hospitalization in 4 cases. In summary, rapid deterioration was noted when M-ECT was acutely reduced in the setting of COVID-19 related restrictions.

Recent Updates on Electro-Convulsive Therapy in Patients with Depression

OBJECTIVE

Electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) has been established as a treatment modality for patients with treatment-resistant depression and with some specific subtypes of depression. This narrative review intends to provide psychiatrists with the latest findings on the use of ECT in depression, devided into total eight sub-topics.

METHODS

We searched PubMed for English-language articles using combined keywords and tried to analyze journals published from 1995-2020.

RESULTS

Pharmacotherapy such as antidepressants or maintenance ECT is more effective than a placebo as prevention of recurrence after ECT. The use of ECT in treatment-resistant depression, depressed patients with suicidal risks, elderly depression, bipolar depression, psychotic depression, and depression during pregnancy or postpartum have therapeutic benefits. As possible mechanisms of ECT, the role of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and other findings in the field of neurophysiology, neuro-immunology, and neurogenesis are also supported.

CONCLUSION

ECT is evolving toward reducing cognitive side effects and maximizing therapeutic effects. If robust evidence for ECT through randomized controlled studies are more established and the mechanism of ECT gets further clarified, the scope of its use in the treatment of depression will be more expanded in the future.

Cognitive neuropsychological theory of antidepressant action: a modern-day approach to depression and its treatment

Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide and improving its treatment is a core research priority for future programmes. A change in the view of psychological and biological processes, from seeing them as separate to complementing one another, has introduced new perspectives on pathological mechanisms of depression and treatment mode of action. This review presents a theoretical model that incorporated this novel approach, the cognitive neuropsychological hypothesis of antidepressant action. This model proposes that antidepressant treatments decrease the negative bias in the processing of emotionally salient information early in the course of antidepressant treatment, which leads to the clinically significant mood improvement later in treatment. The paper discusses the role of negative affective biases in the development of depression and response to antidepressant treatments. It also discusses whether the model can be applied to other antidepressant interventions and its potential translational value, including treatment choice, prediction of response and drug development.

Efficacy, safety and tolerability of formula-based unilateral vs bilateral electroconvulsive therapy in the treatment of major depression: A randomized open label controlled trial

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) remains the most effective treatment of depression, though it is still unclear which of its type is the most beneficial. The aim of this study was to compare the formula-based right unilateral ECT (RUL) with the fronto-temporal bilateral ECT (BT), in terms of their efficacy, safety and tolerability in patients with bipolar or unipolar depression. Ninety-one patients were randomly assigned to either BT (n = 45) or RUL (n = 46) ECT. Brief pulse width (0.5 ms) and a formula-based dosing method were applied. The clinical efficacy was assessed using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-21).The somatic state was monitored throughout the ECT course and cognitive examination included: general cognitive performance, executive functions, visual-spatial functions, verbal fluency, verbal memory and autobiographical memory. Efficacy outcomes were not found to be significantly different between groups when using higher doses of energy in RUL ECT. Patients in RUL group were less likely to be confused and experienced increased blood pressure. The indices of general cognitive performance and verbal auditory memory were also significantly better this group, while BT ECT did not change these functions. Both ECT types resulted in a decline in the retrieval consistency of autobiographical memory that persists for at least three months and was significantly more marked in BT group as compared to RUL. In conclusion, formula-based RUL ECT does not differ from BT in antidepressant efficacy and has an advantage in terms of safety (lower incidence of increased blood pressure and fewer disturbances of consciousness) and tolerability (impact on cognitive functions).

Protocol for a prospective descriptive prevalence study of catatonia in an acute mental health unit in urban South Africa

INTRODUCTION

Catatonia arises from serious mental, medical, neurological or toxic conditions. The prevalence range depends on the setting and the range is anything from 7% to 63% in other countries. South African prevalence rates are currently unknown. The proposed study is a quantitative descriptive study using the Bush Francis Catatonia Screening Instrument as a screening tool with a data capturing information sheet to extract clinical information from patient folders. The study will investigate: (1) prevalence of catatonia, (2) clinical and demographic correlates associated with catatonia, (3) predictors of catatonia, (4) response to treatment and (5) subjective experience of catatonia.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The setting is an acute mental health unit (MHU) within a regional, general medical hospital in Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa, which accepts referrals from within the hospital and from outlying clinics. Participants will be recruited from inpatients in the MHU from beginning of September 2020 to end of August 2021. Most admissions are involuntarily, under the Mental Health Care Act of 2002 with an age range of 13 to over 65 years. Participants who screen positive for catatonia will be followed up after discharge for 3 months to measure outcomes. Primary outcomes will include the 12-month prevalence rate of catatonia, descriptive and other data on presentation and assessment of catatonia in the MHU. Secondary outcomes will include data on treatment response, participants' report of their subjective experience of catatonia and predictors of catatonia. Descriptive statistics, multivariate binomial logistic regression and univariate analyses will be conducted to evaluate associations between catatonia and clinical or demographic data which could be predictors of catatonia. Survival analysis will be used to examine the time to recovery after diagnosis and initiation of treatment. The 95% CI will be used to demonstrate the precision of estimates. The level of significance will be p≤0.05.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study has received ethical approval from the Research and Ethics Committees of the Eastern Cape Department of Health, Walter Sisulu University and Nelson Mandela University. The results will be disseminated as follows: at various presentations and feedback sessions; as part of a PhD thesis in Psychology at Nelson Mandela University; and in a manuscript that will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal.

Ugo Cerletti (1877-1963): An Early Italian Father of Electroshock and a Pioneer in Many Other Ways

This article provides a biographical review of the life and the professional achievements of the Italian doctor Ugo Cerletti and an introduction on electroshock. Throughout his medical career, he travelled and studied in many countries all over the world. Building upon his systematic and comprehensive analysis of mental diseases, Cerletti introduced electroshock, which, at his time, was a novel therapeutic method. The main beneficial feature of electroshock was that it ameliorated refractory mental illnesses such as depression, mania, and schizophrenia. Additionally, Cerletti filmed the first scientific movie on electroshock. Furthermore, Cerletti left great lessons in the area of dementia, by proving the interaction between spirochaetes and progressive paralysis and exploring the causes of inflammation in the syphilitic brain. Cerletti was the first to announce the theory of acroagonines. Cerletti also made early discoveries on perivascular corpuscles, a discovery of such importance that the perivascular corpuscles are named corpuscles of Cerletti. Outside of the medical realm, Cerletti invented a new type of gun, and produced an early medical documentary. Cerletti received many national and international distinctions and awards. He died in 1963 at the age of 86.

Subcallosal Cingulate Structural Connectivity Differs in Responders and Nonresponders to Electroconvulsive Therapy

BACKGROUND

Subcallosal cingulate (SCC) activity is associated with treatment response in major depressive disorder (MDD). Using electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) as a treatment model in this exploratory study, we addressed whether pretreatment SCC structural connectivity with corticolimbic-striatal circuitry relates to therapeutic outcome and whether these connectivity patterns change with treatment.

METHODS

Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging scans were acquired in 43 patients with MDD (mean [SD] age = 41 [13] years; men/women: 18/25) before and within 1 week of completing an ECT index series and in 31 healthy control subjects scanned twice (mean [SD] age = 38 [11] years; men/women: 17/18). Probabilistic tractography from subject-specific anatomically defined SCC seed regions to the ventral striatum (VS), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and bilateral medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) was used to estimate structural connectivity in the target network.

RESULTS

SCC-mPFC connectivity was lower in responders (>50% symptom improvement) than nonresponders both before (p < .014) (difference 37%-96% left and right hemispheres) and after (p = .023) (difference 100% right hemisphere) treatment. SCC-mPFC connectivity in responders was also decreased compared with control subjects both at baseline (p = .012) and after ECT (p = .006), whereas nonresponders had SCC-right mPFC connectivity similar to that of control subjects. Subjects with MDD also showed decreased SCC-ACC connectivity compared with control subjects (baseline: p < .003, after ECT: p = .001), although SCC-ACC connectivity did not distinguish responders from nonresponders. Bilateral SCC-VS connectivity decreased (11%) with ECT (p = .021) regardless of treatment response.

CONCLUSIONS

While SCC-ACC connectivity may be a hallmark of MDD compared with control subjects, lower pretreatment SCC-mPFC connectivity in ECT responders (compared with nonresponders and control subjects) suggests that connectivity in this pathway may serve as a potential biomarker of therapeutic outcome and be relevant for treatment selection.

Influence of electroconvulsive therapy on white matter structure in a diffusion tensor imaging study

BACKGROUND

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a fast-acting intervention for major depressive disorder. Previous studies indicated neurotrophic effects following ECT that might contribute to changes in white matter brain structure. We investigated the influence of ECT in a non-randomized prospective study focusing on white matter changes over time.

METHODS

Twenty-nine severely depressed patients receiving ECT in addition to inpatient treatment, 69 severely depressed patients with inpatient treatment (NON-ECT) and 52 healthy controls (HC) took part in a non-randomized prospective study. Participants were scanned twice, approximately 6 weeks apart, using diffusion tensor imaging, applying tract-based spatial statistics. Additional correlational analyses were conducted in the ECT subsample to investigate the effects of seizure duration and therapeutic response.

RESULTS

Mean diffusivity (MD) increased after ECT in the right hemisphere, which was an ECT-group-specific effect. Seizure duration was associated with decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) following ECT. Longitudinal changes in ECT were not associated with therapy response. However, within the ECT group only, baseline FA was positively and MD negatively associated with post-ECT symptomatology.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that ECT changes white matter integrity, possibly reflecting increased permeability of the blood-brain barrier, resulting in disturbed communication of fibers. Further, baseline diffusion metrics were associated with therapy response. Coherent fiber structure could be a prerequisite for a generalized seizure and inhibitory brain signaling necessary to successfully inhibit increased seizure activity.

A Qualitative Exploration of Gaps and Challenges in Knowledge and Practices of Electroconvulsive Therapy by Key Personnel in Public and Private Mental Health Units in Kenya

Background: Evidence-based research for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) practice in Kenya is scarce. This has seemingly stifled knowledge with regard to ECT practice among key personnel in the country. Research shows that evidence-based guidelines not only harmonize clinical practice in a certain region but also improve health outcomes and quality of clinical decisions made by key personnel. This study aimed at assessing knowledge and administration of ECT by key personnel in psychiatric units in Kenya. Method: This is a qualitative study targeting multiple stakeholders in mental health facilities. The study was undertaken in three counties: Nairobi, Nakuru and Eldoret. Snowballing sampling method was used to interview 33 targeted respondents who work in ECT departments or actively interacted with the procedure in both private and public facilities. Researcher-designed respondent profile questionnaire and interview guides focusing on knowledge, practice and barriers in delivery of ECT were used as tools. Data collected were transcribed from the audio recordings. Thematic and content analyses of these semi-structured interviews were carried out based on the patterns that were noted across the data collected. The interviews were read by the research team and re-read to highlight the core ideas. Findings were presented in form of themes, which were illustrated along with representative verbatim quotations. Results: Overall, the key personnel were knowledgeable about ECT in different stages of the procedure, but we noticed methodological incongruence in their practice with regard to the pre-ECT preparation, stimulus dose calculation adequacy of seizure and in the procedure for dose adjustment of psychotropic medication before and after ECT sessions. The identified barriers to the uptake of evidence-based practice were lack of infrastructure, inadequate funding, lack of adequate training and negative perception by patients, relatives and even some participants. Conclusion: Though key personnel in this study showed that they had knowledge on ECT administration, lack of standard guidelines on ECT practice led to lack of standardized training on the procedure hence the methodological incongruence. Inadequate infrastructure, knowledge and negative perception towards the procedure seemed to interfere with uptake of ECT as an intervention. Recommendations: The study makes the following recommendations: adoption of a guideline by psychiatrists, intense training on ECT, specialized training for nurses in ECT and dose calculation for psychiatrists and registrars. Funding should be made available for new ECT machines. Lastly, education and awareness creation should be done about ECT to help deal with negative perception towards the intervention.

A novel seizure quality index based on ictal parameters for optimizing clinical decision-making in electroconvulsive therapy. Part 2: Validation

Early identification of patients who are at a high risk for an unfavorable outcome to ECT during the treatment course might be beneficial because it provides an opportunity for timely intensification or optimization of stimulus conditions. We aimed to validate a previously developed seizure quality index (SQI) that delivers a clinically relevant outcome prediction early in the treatment course and can be used within common clinical setting. Therefore, a prospective study was conducted. Patients (n = 26) below the age of 65 years with a depressive episode and the clinical decision for ECT (right unilateral, brief pulse) were included and several ictal parameters, the SQI for non-response and non-remission, and the clinical outcome of the patients were documented. Logistic regression analysis revealed a statistically significant association between the SQI and non-response (p = 0.035). A significant association between the clinical outcome of non-response and the classified outcome of non-response was detected (p = 0.041). The overall classification accuracy regarding response/non-response was 71.3%, and the model revealed a sensitivity of 84.6% and a specificity of 61.5% for non-response. In this study, we could validate the SQI for the clinical outcome of non-response, but not for non-remission. Based on our data, the SQI might become an interesting clinical tool for early outcome prediction for ECT in patients with depression.

Electroconvulsive therapy in bipolar depression - effectiveness and prognostic factors

OBJECTIVE

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is used in patients with severe forms of bipolar depression. ECT is effective but not all patients respond. The aim of this study was to determine prognostic factors for response to ECT in patients hospitalized for bipolar depression.

METHODS

Data were obtained from several national Swedish registers. All patients with bipolar depression treated with ECT in any hospital in Sweden between 2011 and 2016 for whom information about ECT response was available were included (n = 1251). Response was defined as a score on the Clinical Global Impression - Improvement scale of one or two. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were conducted to investigate associations between socio-demographic and clinical factors and response.

RESULTS

Response was achieved in 80.2% patients. Older age was associated with higher response rate to ECT. Patients with comorbid obsessive-compulsive disorder or personality disorder, and patients previously treated with lamotrigine had lower response rate.

CONCLUSION

Electroconvulsive therapy for bipolar depression was associated with very high response rates. The strongest prognostic factors were higher age, absence of comorbid obsessive-compulsive disorder or personality disorder, and less prior pharmacologic treatment.

Magnitude of Reduction and Speed of Remission of Suicidality for Low Amplitude Seizure Therapy (LAP-ST) Compared to Standard Right Unilateral Electroconvulsive Therapy: A Pilot Double-Blinded Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: Although treatment guidelines support use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for acute suicidality, it is associated with cognitive side effects. The effect of Low Amplitude Seizure Therapy (LAP-ST) on suicidality is unknown. Our prior precision LAP-ST (pLAP-ST) performing titrating in the current domain has provided initial proof of concept data in humans of its advantage in terms of reduction of cognitive side effects. The aims of this report are to: 1) compare LAP-ST (at 500mA) versus standard Right Unilateral (RUL) ECT (at 900 mA) in terms of magnitude of remission of suicidality in a randomized allocation and 2) compare the speed of remission of suicidality between LAP-ST versus RUL ECT. Methods: Patients were randomized to either LAP-ST or RUL ECT. The scores pertaining to the suicidal ideation (SI) item on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) were analyzed using descriptive analysis and no confirmatory statistical analysis was performed due to a priori sample size limitations for this pilot study. SI item remission was defined as 2 or below on this item. Results: Eleven patients with major depressive episode (MDE) of mainly unipolar or bipolar disorders signed consent. Of these, 7 were eligible and were randomized and included in the analysis; all were actively suicidal at baseline (suicide item above 2), except 1 patient who had suicide item at 2 in the RUL ECT group. Suicidality remitted on average by session 3 and remission occurred for all patients by session 4. The SI mean score improvement from baseline to endpoint for LAP-ST was 5.1 and for RUL ECT was 3.0. Conclusions: LAP-ST has larger effect size and speed of remission of suicidality compared to standard RUL ECT. Future studies are warranted for replicating these findings. (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT02583490).

Mechanisms of Antidepressant Response to Electroconvulsive Therapy Studied With Perfusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging

BACKGROUND

Converging evidence suggests that electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) induces neuroplasticity in patients with severe depression, though how this relates to antidepressant response is less clear. Arterial spin-labeled functional magnetic resonance imaging tracks absolute changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) linked with brain function and offers a potentially powerful tool when observing neurofunctional plasticity with functional magnetic resonance imaging.

METHODS

Using arterial spin-labeled functional magnetic resonance imaging, we measured global and regional CBF associated with clinically prescribed ECT and therapeutic response in patients (n = 57, 30 female) before ECT, after two treatments, after completing an ECT treatment "index" (∼4 weeks), and after long-term follow-up (6 months). Age- and sex-matched control subjects were also scanned twice (n = 36, 19 female), ∼4 weeks apart.

RESULTS

Patients with lower baseline global CBF were more likely to respond to ECT. Regional CBF increased in the right anterior hippocampus in all patients irrespective of clinical outcome, both after 2 treatments and after ECT index. However, hippocampal CBF increases postindex were more pronounced in nonresponders. ECT responders exhibited CBF increases in the dorsomedial thalamus and motor cortex near the vertex ECT electrode, as well as decreased CBF within lateral frontoparietal regions.

CONCLUSIONS

ECT induces functional neuroplasticity in the hippocampus, which could represent functional precursors of ECT-induced increases in hippocampal volume reported previously. However, excessive functional neuroplasticity within the hippocampus may not be conducive to positive clinical outcome. Instead, our results suggest that although hippocampal plasticity may contribute to antidepressant response in ECT, balanced plasticity in regions relevant to seizure physiology including thalamocortical networks may also play a critical role.

Clinical Predictors of Response to Magnetic Seizure Therapy in Depression: A Preliminary Report

OBJECTIVES

Magnetic seizure therapy (MST) is a novel convulsive brain stimulation method in clinical testing, which is used as an alternative for electroconvulsive therapy in patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Preliminary studies have suggested that MST leads to fewer cognitive adverse effects than electroconvulsive therapy but has similar efficacy. However, the clinical predictors of response to MST have not been evaluated yet. This study aimed to investigate whether these predictors can be identified in patients with TRD.

METHODS

Thirty-eight patients with TRD were included. As clinical predictors for treatment response, we used the diagnosis, sex, age, family history, and severity of depression, as well as the melancholic, psychotic, anxiety, and atypical depression symptoms. A response was defined as an improvement higher than 50% on the 28-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. The binary logistic regression, stepwise linear regression, and effect sizes were calculated.

RESULTS

We found that 68.4% of the patients responded to MST. The responders had significantly fewer previous depressive episodes, less severe depression, and fewer melancholic (anhedonia) and anxiety symptoms than the nonresponders. In addition, responders were more likely to have a positive family history of depression than nonresponders. In particular, the number of previous episodes and a family history of depression were significant predictors of the response to MST.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrate that the chronicity, severity, and family history of depression, as well as the presence of melancholic and anxiety symptoms, can serve as clinical predictors of the response to MST. Further research with a larger sample size will be required to verify these preliminary findings.

Cognitive neuropsychological theory: Reconciliation of psychological and biological approaches for depression

New antidepressants and individualized approaches to treatment, matching specific therapies to individual patients, are urgently needed. For this, a better understanding of processes underpinning the development of depressive symptoms and response to medications are required. The cognitive neuropsychological model offers a novel approach uniquely combining biological and psychological approaches to explain how antidepressants exert their effect, why there is a delay in the onset of their clinical effect, and how changes in emotional processing are an essential step for a clinical antidepressant effect to take place. The paper presents the model and its underpinnings in the form of research in both healthy and depressed individuals, as well as the potential for its practical use.

Pertinence of Titration and Age-Based Dosing Methods for Electroconvulsive Therapy: An International Retrospective Multicenter Study

BACKGROUND

Although the dosage of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) stimulus has a major impact on the efficacy and safety of this treatment, the method used to determine an optimal dosage remains a matter of debate.

OBJECTIVE

We investigated factors influencing the seizure threshold (ST) in a large-sample study and compared age-based and titration dosing methods in terms of charge.

METHODS

A retrospective study examined data from 503 patients across France and Canada. The patients underwent right unilateral (RUL) or bitemporal (BT) ECT during a titration session before undergoing ECT. Seizure threshold and charge differences between age-based and titration-predicted methods were derived for each RUL and BT patient and compared according to sex, age, and anesthetic agents.

RESULTS

Based on our results, ST is a function of electrode placement, sex, age, and anesthetic agents. Titration and age-based methods led to completely different patterns of charges for the same electrode placement, especially in elderly and in women in the RUL group. Regression models showed that differences between the age-based and titration methods varied with respect to age, sex, and anesthetic agent. Specifically, significant effects of sex and age were observed for RUL ECT and of sex and anesthetics for BT ECT.

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed that several factors significantly influence the prediction of ECT dose, depending on individuals and treatment modalities. Caution should be exercised when using nonindividualized methods to calculate ST.

A novel Seizure Quality Index based on ictal parameters for optimizing clinical decision making in electroconvulsive therapy. Part 1: development

Early identification of patients at high risk for an unfavorable outcome to ECT during the course might be beneficial because it provides an opportunity for timely intensification or optimization of stimulus conditions. We aimed to develop a new Seizure Quality Index (SQI) that delivers a clinical relevant outcome prediction early in the treatment course and can be used within common clinical setting. An observational study was conducted. Patients (n = 86) with a depressive episode and the clinical decision for ECT (right unilateral, brief pulse) were included, and several ictal parameters derived from the second ECT session and the clinical outcome of the patients were documented. Optimal cut-off points for five different domains of ictal adequacy for younger and older patients for the prediction of "non-response" and "non-remission" based on seizure quality was determined by the Youden Index and a sum score was built. Logistic regression analyses tested the predictive power of derived models. For both outcome variables "non-response" and "non-remission", the logistic regression models were statistically significant, albeit for remission only for subjects below the age of 65 years (χ² = 17.9, p = 0.001) and (χ² = 6.4, p = 0.020), respectively. The models correctly classified 87.2% (non-response) and 50.0% (non-remission) of the cases. ROC curve analysis showed an AUC of 0.87 (non-response) and 0.70 (non-remission). In elderly patients (> 65), no such model could be established due to a response rate of 100%. Our data provide promising, clinically relevant results about the prediction of response to ECT at an early stage for patients with depression.

Treating electroconvulsive therapy-induced mania with more electroconvulsive therapy: Evidence for electroconvulsive therapy as the ultra-mood stabilizer

Electroconvulsive therapy has been described as a mood stabilizer, as it is effective in all stages of bipolar disorder. Electroconvulsive therapy-induced mania is a known and potentially dangerous risk of treating bipolar depression with electroconvulsive therapy and there are no established guidelines for the management of electroconvulsive therapy-induced mania. We report a case of electroconvulsive therapy-induced mania where electroconvulsive therapy was continued as the sole, effective antimanic agent, which is the first described case in literature.

Remifentanil as an adjunct to anaesthesia for electroconvulsive therapy fails to confer long-term benefits

BACKGROUND

Adding the μ-opioid receptor agonist remifentanil to agents used to induce general anaesthesia in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can reduce the required doses of induction agents and their unfavourable effects on seizure threshold and quality. However, whether remifentanil has favourable long-term treatment effects in terms of response and remission rates, speed of response and remission, and side-effects has not been studied.

METHODS

This retrospective, register-based cohort study involved patients with major depression consecutively treated at two units at different hospitals in Norway with the same ECT procedure. Both units used thiopental for ECT anaesthesia, but only one unit added remifentanil (R+; n=47; 541 sessions), whereas the other did not (R-; n=119; 1166 sessions). A Cox proportional hazards model for interval-censored data was conducted to examine the effects of remifentanil on the time to response and remission from depressive symptoms, whilst adjusting for age, sex, and baseline depression score.

RESULTS

Both R+ and R- patients showed substantial reductions of depressive symptoms, with no difference in the response (76% in both groups) or remission (63% vs 65%) rate. However, R+ patients responded (hazard ratio=0.59; 95% confidence interval: 0.4-0.8) and remitted (hazard ratio=0.72; 95% confidence interval: 0.5-1.0) more slowly, and reported more often side-effects of nausea (30% vs 8%; P<0.001), dizziness (22% vs 8%; P=0.027), and headache (48% vs 23%; P=0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of adjunctive remifentanil was associated with more short-term side-effects and no favourable long-term clinical outcomes. The practice of routinely adding remifentanil to barbiturate anaesthesia should therefore be reconsidered.

The perspectives of former recipients and experts on stigmatization related to electroconvulsive therapy in Denmark: A focus group study

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has existed worldwide for nearly 80 years. ECT is a fast-working and potentially life-saving treatment, but it is considered controversial. Although frequently mentioned, stigmatization in relation to ECT has not been systematically explored so far. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: This paper provides new insight into both recipient and expert perspectives on ECT. It identifies several issues of stigmatization related to ECT and suggests that full recovery following ECT might be jeopardized due to both stigmatization and self-stigmatization. The study suggests that most of the stigmatizing behaviors can be ascribed to (a lack of) available knowledge of and experience with ECT. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Being aware of and listening to the needs of former ECT-recipients seems essential to increase their treatment options and support care as well as a will to prioritize this patient group. For example, by addressing the potential stigma issues in follow-up groups and helping to distribute sober, factual information about ECT in society. Providing written information and psychoeducation for patients and relatives before, during, and after ECT, in addition to supporting active use of diaries, might be valuable remedies for helping patients feel adequately informed and able to accept the pros and cons of ECT during and after treatment period. ABSTRACT: Introduction Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has existed worldwide for nearly 80 years. Although fast-working and potentially life-saving treatment, ECT is regarded as a strongly controversial treatment and stigmatization is frequently mentioned in relation to it. However, no systematic research in this area has taken place so far. Aim The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences and attitudes of former recipients of ECT and of experts professionally involved with ECT to identify potential stigmatization. Method Two focus groups, one comprising four recipients of ECT and the other seven professional experts, were conducted. Data from each focus group were analyzed separately using a framework-analysis. Results The analysis yielded three major themes for the first focus group interview: ambivalent attitudes, discrediting and exclusion, and survival strategies and three major themes for the second focus group interview: dramatic depictions of ECT, an overlooked and rare treatment, and anti-stigmatization strategies. Discussion and implications for practice Stigmatizing attitudes and behaviors in relation to ECT are closely related to one's personal and factual knowledge, and there is a great need for multi-facetted approaches if social acceptance and recognition are to be achieved. This study provides new knowledge on a scarcely examined area while also introducing suitable methods for anti-stigmatization and empowerment.

Predictors of Electroconvulsive Therapy Use in a Large Inpatient Psychiatry Population

OBJECTIVE

There is limited research on reliable and clinically useful predictors of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) use. We aimed to examine factors that predict ECT use in an inpatient psychiatric population.

DESIGN

Retrospective analysis of provincial database for inpatient psychiatry.

METHODS

This study is a retrospective analysis of a provincial database for inpatient psychiatry. The study includes all psychiatric inpatients 18 years or older in Ontario, Canada, assessed with the Resident Assessment Instrument for Mental Health (RAI-MH) within the first 3 days of admission between 2009 and 2014 (n = 153,023). The RAI-MH is a validated assessment tool which includes a breadth of information on symptoms, self-harm, functioning, social support, comorbid medical diagnoses, and risk appraisal. Multivariable analyses were performed using SAS.

RESULTS

One hundred forty-five thousand seven hundred (95.2%) of patients admitted had no history of ECT treatment and were not scheduled to receive ECT. A total of 7323 (or 4.8% of the patient population) had either a history of ECT use or were scheduled to receive ECT. Overall rate of ECT use was highest in patients with a provisional diagnosis of mood disorder (7.2%) compared with schizophrenia/other psychotic disorder (3.1%) or substance-related disorder (1.7%). Women were more likely to receive ECT compared with men (overall rates of ECT use 6.2% and 3.4%, respectively). Overall rate of ECT use increased significantly with increasing age. Number of prior hospitalizations was also a strong predictor of ECT use. Conversely, patients with elevated Risk of Harm to Others, schizophrenia, or a substance use disorder were all significantly less likely to receive ECT. All variables examined were statistically significant (P < 0.0001). Higher Severity of Self Harm Scores predicted past use, but not scheduled use of ECT.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the largest study to date on predictors of ECT use. Utilization of RAI-MH is a novel and clinically useful method for evaluating predictors of ECT use. Predictors of ECT use within an inpatient population include: presence of a mood disorder, female sex, older age, low risk of harm to others, number of lifetime hospitalizations, lack of substance use disorder, and inability to care for self.

Fronto-Temporal Connectivity Predicts ECT Outcome in Major Depression

BACKGROUND

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is arguably the most effective available treatment for severe depression. Recent studies have used MRI data to predict clinical outcome to ECT and other antidepressant therapies. One challenge facing such studies is selecting from among the many available metrics, which characterize complementary and sometimes non-overlapping aspects of brain function and connectomics. Here, we assessed the ability of aggregated, functional MRI metrics of basal brain activity and connectivity to predict antidepressant response to ECT using machine learning.

METHODS

A radial support vector machine was trained using arterial spin labeling (ASL) and blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) metrics from n = 46 (26 female, mean age 42) depressed patients prior to ECT (majority right-unilateral stimulation). Image preprocessing was applied using standard procedures, and metrics included cerebral blood flow in ASL, and regional homogeneity, fractional amplitude of low-frequency modulations, and graph theory metrics (strength, local efficiency, and clustering) in BOLD data. A 5-repeated 5-fold cross-validation procedure with nested feature-selection validated model performance. Linear regressions were applied post hoc to aid interpretation of discriminative features.

RESULTS

The range of balanced accuracy in models performing statistically above chance was 58-68%. Here, prediction of non-responders was slightly higher than for responders (maximum performance 74 and 64%, respectively). Several features were consistently selected across cross-validation folds, mostly within frontal and temporal regions. Among these were connectivity strength among: a fronto-parietal network [including left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)], motor and temporal networks (near ECT electrodes), and/or subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC).

CONCLUSION

Our data indicate that pattern classification of multimodal fMRI metrics can successfully predict ECT outcome, particularly for individuals who will not respond to treatment. Notably, connectivity with networks highly relevant to ECT and depression were consistently selected as important predictive features. These included the left DLPFC and the sgACC, which are both targets of other neurostimulation therapies for depression, as well as connectivity between motor and right temporal cortices near electrode sites. Future studies that probe additional functional and structural MRI metrics and other patient characteristics may further improve the predictive power of these and similar models.

ECT Has Greater Efficacy Than Fluoxetine in Alleviating the Burden of Illness for Patients with Major Depressive Disorder: A Taiwanese Pooled Analysis

BACKGROUND

The burden of major depressive disorder includes suffering due to symptom severity, functional impairment, and quality of life deficits. The aim of this study was to compare the differences between electroconvulsive therapy and pharmacotherapy in reducing such burdens.

METHODS

This was a pooled analysis study including 2 open-label trials for major depressive disorder inpatients receiving either standard bitemporal and modified electroconvulsive therapy with a maximum of 12 sessions or 20 mg/d of fluoxetine for 6 weeks. Symptom severity, functioning, and quality of life were assessed using the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, the Modified Work and Social Adjustment Scale, and SF-36. Side effects following treatment, including subjective memory impairment, nausea/vomiting, and headache, were recorded. The differences between these 2 groups in 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, Modified Work and Social Adjustment Scale, quality of life, side effects, and time to response (at least a 50% reduction of 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression) and remission (17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression ≤7) following treatment were analyzed.

RESULTS

Electroconvulsive therapy (n=116) showed a significantly greater reduction in 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, Modified Work and Social Adjustment Scale, and quality of life deficits and had significantly shorter time to response/remission than fluoxetine (n=126). However, the electroconvulsive therapy group was more likely to experience subjective memory impairment and headache.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with fluoxetine, electroconvulsive therapy was more effective in alleviating the burden of major depressive disorder and had a substantially increased speed of response/remission in the acute phase. Increased education and information about electroconvulsive therapy for clinicians, patients, and their families and the general public is warranted.

S -ketamine compared to etomidate during electroconvulsive therapy in major depression

Objective of the study was to compare two commonly used anesthetic drugs, S-ketamine and etomidate, regarding their influence on seizure characteristics, safety aspects, and outcome of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in major depression. Treatment data of 60 patients who underwent a total number of 13 ECTs (median) because of the severe or treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (DSM-IV) were analyzed. Etomidate, mean dosage (SD) = 0.25 (0.04) mg/kg, was used for anesthesia in 29 participants; 31 patients received S-ketamine, mean dosage (SD) = 0.96 (0.26) mg/kg. Right unilateral brief pulse ECTs were performed. The number of ECTs was individually adjusted to clinical needs, mean (SD) = 13.0 (4.3). Seizure characteristics, adverse events, and the clinical global impression (CGI) scores were compared between the both groups during ECT series. In the S-ketamine group, a lower initial seizure threshold (p = 0.014), stimulation charge (p < 0.001), higher postictal suppression (p < 0.001), EEG ictal amplitude (p = 0.04), EEG coherence (p < 0.001) and maximum heart rate (p = 0.015) were measured. Etomidate was associated with more frequent abortive seizures (p = 0.02) and restimulations (p = 0.01). The CGI scores, the number of sessions within an ECT series, and the incidence of adverse events did not differ between groups. Due to its lower initial seizure threshold, S-ketamine might hold a potential to become a clinically favorable anesthetic agent during ECT. However, the current findings should be interpreted with caution, and further prospective randomized clinical trials are required. Also, specific adverse effects profile of S-ketamine, especially with regard to the cardiovascular risk, needs to be taken into account.

Time Trends and Variations in Electroconvulsive Treatment in Denmark 2008 to 2014: A Nationwide Register-Based Study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine status and variations in the practice of electroconvulsive treatment (ECT) in Denmark in patient characteristics, indications, treatment patterns, and hospital region.

METHOD

All 140,627 ECTs registered in the Danish National Patient Registry between 2008 and 2014 were retrieved together with information on patient characteristics. Annual treated person rates were calculated for sex, age, admission diagnosis, and region.

RESULTS

The overall ECT treatment rate was 36 (95% confidence interval, 34-38) per 100,000 resident population during the study period. The rate was highest in women and increased with age. There were modest, however, stable regional differences in rates (extremal quotient = 1.4). Electroconvulsive treatment was most commonly used in patients with depression with (19.4%) or without (54.9%) psychotic symptoms. The median number of ECTs administered per patient was 10 and highest in patients with schizophrenia, schizoaffective, or bipolar disorders. A total of 51%, 14%, and 33% of ECTs were administered with bilateral, unilateral, and unspecified electrode placement, respectively. There were regional differences in electrode placement specification and use.

CONCLUSIONS

Although some variation was seen across hospital regions and electrode placement, ECT in Denmark was provided with relative stability over time and indications compared with most other countries in Europe and North America.

Effectiveness of Electroconvulsive Therapy and Associated Cognitive Change in Schizophrenia: A Naturalistic, Comparative Study of Treating Schizophrenia With Electroconvulsive Therapy

OBJECTIVE

There is limited evidence regarding the relative treatment effectiveness and cognitive effects of different types of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in schizophrenia. In this study, we sought to determine the overall effectiveness and compare the symptomatic and cognitive outcomes of patients with schizophrenia who received different modalities of ECT treatment.

METHODS

Patients received 1 of 4 of the following ECT modalities: bitemporal ECT with age-based dosing, right unilateral ECT with seizure threshold-based dosing, bitemporal ECT with seizure threshold-based dosing, and bifrontal ECT with seizure threshold-based dosing ECT. The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) were administered to 62 patients before and after the ECT course.

RESULTS

There was a significant improvement in both the total and psychotic subscales of BPRS and MoCA scores across the patients after the course of ECT. The global improvements in both BPRS and MoCA scores after ECT were not influenced by the type of ECT administered. Age-based dosing, however, was associated with poorer memory outcomes posttreatment. The overall symptomatic response rate, defined as 40% or more reduction in the psychotic subscale of BPRS, was 64.5%. The response rates did not significantly differ between the 4 types of ECT.

CONCLUSIONS

Our present findings suggest that an acute course of ECT is effective in schizophrenia and may have cognitive benefits for some patients.

Reducing Falls After Electroconvulsive Therapy: A Quality Improvement Project

Falls after electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in patients 60 and older have been long recognized as a major clinical care issue across many mental health care settings. The evidence base for fall prevention strategies after receiving ECT is sparse. The risk factors for falls after ECT are vast and complex in nature, especially considering existing comorbid medical conditions. The dearth of research in guiding practitioners on fall reduction interventions for this patient population illuminates a gap in mental health care quality and safety. The purpose of the current nurse-led quality improvement project was to reduce falls in patients undergoing ECT by enhancing safety measures through education and a post-ECT treatment protocol. The project did not prove to be as efficacious as anticipated as measured by fall rate outcomes. Several factors that may account for the project's findings are discussed. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 55(7), 20-29.].