title: Unilateral ultra-brief pulse electroconvulsive therapy for depression in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has demonstrated efficacy in treating core symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD); however, widespread use of ECT in PD has been limited due to concern over cognitive burden. We investigated the use of a newer ECT technology known to have fewer cognitive side effects (right unilateral [RUL] ultra-brief pulse [UBP]) for the treatment of medically refractory psychiatric dysfunction in PD.
  
  
  METHODS
  This open-label pilot study included 6 patients who were assessed in the motoric, cognitive, and neuropsychiatric domains prior to and after RUL UBP ECT. Primary endpoints were changes in total score on the HAM-D-17 and GDS-30 rating scales.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients were found to improve in motoric and psychiatric domains following RUL UBP ECT without cognitive side effects, both immediately following ECT and at 1-month follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that RUL UBP ECT is safe, feasible, and potentially efficacious in treating multiple domains of PD, including motor and mood, without clear cognitive side effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Bentzley
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Sahlem
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1030-8776
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pannu
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Korte
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Revuelta
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Short
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.|Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.|Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC, USA.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: George
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D010865:Pilot Projects
keywords: Parkinson's disease; depression; electroconvulsive therapy; ultra-brief pulse