Pretreatment interhemispheric EEG coherence is related to seizure duration in right unilateral electroconvulsive therapy.
OBJECTIVE
The relationships between pretreatment EEG parameters and seizure duration in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) were studied in order to provide information useful for the prediction of ECT-induced seizures.


METHODS
In 16 depressed patients treated with right unilateral ECT, pretreatment absolute band powers and interhemispheric coherences were assessed and correlated with the duration of the first ECT-induced seizure.


RESULTS
Interhemispheric coherence for the central electrodes in the fast alpha band was positively correlated with seizure duration.


CONCLUSIONS
Interhemispheric coherence may reflect, in a quantitative manner, cortico-cortical transmission via commissural pathways required for the generation of a generalized seizure through right unilateral stimulation. It may represent a useful parameter with respect to seizure threshold with potential therapeutic implications for ECT.
Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurophysiology Service, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany. adler@as200.zi-mannheim.de
Georg
G
Adler
Wolfgang
W
Hey
Caroline
C
Achenbach
Andreas
A
Kinzer
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012640:Seizures / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors