title: Hippocampal volume in relation to clinical and cognitive outcome after electroconvulsive therapy in depression.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In a previous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study, we found a significant increase in hippocampal volume immediately after electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in patients with depression. The aim of this study was to evaluate hippocampal volume up to 1 year after ECT and investigate its possible relation to clinical and cognitive outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical and cognitive outcome in 12 in-patients with depression receiving antidepressive pharmacological treatment referred for ECT were investigated with the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and a broad neuropsychological test battery within 1 week before and after ECT. The assessments were repeated 6 and 12 months after baseline in 10 and seven of these patients, respectively. Hippocampal volumes were measured on all four occasions with 3 Tesla MRI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hippocampal volume returned to baseline during the follow-up period of 6 months. Neither the significant antidepressant effect nor the significant transient decrease in executive and verbal episodic memory tests after ECT could be related to changes in hippocampal volume. No persistent cognitive side effects were observed 1 year after ECT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The immediate increase in hippocampal volume after ECT is reversible and is not related to clinical or cognitive outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nordanskog
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Larsson
authors.forename: E-M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Larsson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Johanson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: cognition; depression; electroconvulsive therapy; hippocampus; longitudinal; magnetic resonance imaging