Efficacy of memoral herbal on prevention of electroconvulsive therapy-induced memory impairment in mood disorder patients (isfahan - iran 2011).
BACKGROUND
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is one of the most efficacious treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD), it is also used as a rapid and efficacious treatment for other psychiatric disorders, especially treatment resistant ones. The cognitive impairment is one of the most important side effects of ECT. This study examined the Memoral herbal efficacy in prevention of ECT-induced memory impairment.


METHODS
In a randomized clinical trial, 70 patients with mood disorders who were candidates for ECT enrolled in either Memoral or Control group, and received either Memoral or placebo. The memory was assessed by Addenbrook Cognitive Examination (ACE), and the findings were analyzed by ANOVA under SPSS18.


RESULTS
The Memoral group patients showed significantly higher total ACE scores than placebo group (P < 0.001). The scores of attention and orientation, verbal fluency and memory subscales not only never decreased during the study in Memoral group, but also increased. There was no significant difference between these scores of Memoral and placebo groups for the subscales of language and visuospacial ability.


CONCLUSIONS
The Memoral herbal is an efficacious and safe choice in prevention of ECT- induced cognitive impairment.
Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Isfahan, Iran.
Seyed Ghafur
SG
Mousavi
Ghasemi
G
Mohsen
Maracy M
MM
Reza
Ebrahimi
E
Amrollah
Barekatain
B
Majid
Noori
N
Fariba