Improvement in verbal memory performance in depressed in-patients after treatment with electroconvulsive therapy

TY - JOUR

T1 - Improvement in verbal memory performance in depressed in-patients after treatment with electroconvulsive therapy

AU - Biedermann, S V

AU - Bumb, J M

AU - Demirakca, T

AU - Ende, G

AU - Sartorius, A

N1 - © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PY - 2016/9/23

Y1 - 2016/9/23

N2 - OBJECTIVE: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a highly effective and well-tolerated therapy for severe and treatment-resistant depression. Cognitive side-effects are still feared by some patients and clinicians. Importantly, cognitive impairments are among the most disabling symptoms of depression itself.METHODS: Patients suffering from a severe episode of depression were treated with either ECT or treatment as usual (TAU) in an in-patient setting. Matched healthy participants served as controls (HC). Verbal memory was tested with the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) before the specific treatment started (ECT = 15, TAU = 16, HC = 31) and 2 months after the last ECT session or 2 months after discharge respectively.RESULTS: Before the specific treatment started, depressed patients performed substantially worse compared with HC in total, short- and long-delay recall in the CVLT, while the ECT group showed the worst performance. More severely depressed patients showed worse performances in these measures. Intriguingly, verbal memory showed a significant improvement in ECT-treated patients, but not in the other groups. No differences between the groups were found at follow-up.CONCLUSION: Contrary to the widely feared assumption that ECT has long-term impact on memory functions, we found evidence that ECT is superior to TAU in improving verbal memory in depressed patients.

AB - OBJECTIVE: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a highly effective and well-tolerated therapy for severe and treatment-resistant depression. Cognitive side-effects are still feared by some patients and clinicians. Importantly, cognitive impairments are among the most disabling symptoms of depression itself.METHODS: Patients suffering from a severe episode of depression were treated with either ECT or treatment as usual (TAU) in an in-patient setting. Matched healthy participants served as controls (HC). Verbal memory was tested with the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) before the specific treatment started (ECT = 15, TAU = 16, HC = 31) and 2 months after the last ECT session or 2 months after discharge respectively.RESULTS: Before the specific treatment started, depressed patients performed substantially worse compared with HC in total, short- and long-delay recall in the CVLT, while the ECT group showed the worst performance. More severely depressed patients showed worse performances in these measures. Intriguingly, verbal memory showed a significant improvement in ECT-treated patients, but not in the other groups. No differences between the groups were found at follow-up.CONCLUSION: Contrary to the widely feared assumption that ECT has long-term impact on memory functions, we found evidence that ECT is superior to TAU in improving verbal memory in depressed patients.

U2 - 10.1111/acps.12652

DO - 10.1111/acps.12652

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 27658720

VL - 134

SP - 461

EP - 468

JO - ACTA PSYCHIAT SCAND

JF - ACTA PSYCHIAT SCAND

SN - 0001-690X

IS - 6

ER -