title: Brief pulse ECT in melancholia. EEG and clinical effects.
abstract: In a visual analysis of electroencephalograms (EEGs) obtained in 33 melancholic men before and after six brief pulse right unilateral, left unilateral, or bilateral electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) treatments, the authors were unable to detect the relation between therapeutic outcome and differential hemispheric lateralization of ECT-induced EEG slowing that had been reported previously for sine wave ECT at the same clinical site. These results may be related to differences in neurophysiologic effects between sine wave and brief pulse ECT, and do not support the hypothesis that lateralization of ECT-induced EEG slowing is central to the antidepressant effects of ECT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Health Sciences, Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, Illinois 60064.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abrams
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Volavka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schrift
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D016896:Treatment Outcome