Dexamethasone in electroconvulsive therapy: efficacy for depression and post-ECT amnesia.
Dexamethasone, compared to placebo in a double-blind study, failed to prevent the memory deficiency that typically accompanies electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) (n = 48 patients treated for DSM-III diagnosed major depressive disorder). Rather, the administration of the drug was associated with attention (p less than 0.02) and short-term memory (p less than 0.0003) difficulties in both bilateral and unilateral ECT patients. Bilateral ECT plus dexamethasone patients had significantly less improvement (p less than 0.05) in their depression (measured by the Hamilton Depression Scale) compared to bilateral ECT plus placebo patients. These depression differences were not seen among unilateral ECT patients.
D000647:Amnesia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003221:Confusion / Q000517:prevention & control; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000187:drug effects
D003907:Dexamethasone