Age-Dependent Effects of Electroconvulsive Therapy on Memory.
We examined the relation between age and recovery of memory functions after electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). In a group of patients 20-65 years of age, older depressed patients treated with ECT experienced more severe and longer lasting memory deficits than did younger patients. Testing conducted 24-72 h after a course of ECT showed more severe deficits in older patients for verbal and visuospatial anterograde memory, and for retrograde memory. The difference between younger and older subjects was marginal at 1 month follow-up, seen only in differences in verbal anterograde memory. At 6 months follow-up, no difference in memory test scores between older and younger patients was observed. Older patients are more vulnerable to cognitive effects of ECT, and these effects last longer.
Zervas
Iannis M.
IM
State University of New York at Stony Brook, USA.
Calev
Avraham
A
Jandorf
Lina
L
Schwartz
Joseph
J
Gaudino
Elizabeth
E
Tubi
Nurith
N
Lerer
Bernard
B
Shapira
Baruch
B