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Age Effect on Electroconvulsive Therapy Seizure Resistance.
1Department of Psychiatric Medicine, East Carolina University School of Medicine, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
Convulsive Therapy
|January 1, 1993
Summary
Older men require more difficult electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) to induce seizures. This study found that seizure resistance increases with age in men undergoing brief-pulse, bilateral ECT.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Geriatrics
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a widely used psychiatric treatment.
- Seizure induction is crucial for ECT efficacy.
- Age has been anecdotally suggested to affect seizure induction during ECT.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between patient age and seizure induction difficulty during brief-pulse, bilateral ECT.
- To determine if older male patients are more resistant to ECT-induced seizures.
Main Methods:
- A consecutive series of 21 men undergoing brief-pulse, square-wave, bilateral ECT were studied.
- A standardized stimulus (144 mC over 1 s) was administered at the second, third, or fourth ECT session.
- Seizure occurrence was recorded, and patient ages were compared between those who convulsed and those who did not.
Main Results:
- Nine out of 21 subjects did not experience a seizure.
- Male patients who showed a seizure were significantly younger (37.7 +/- 13.2 years) than those who did not (57.6 +/- 6.1 years).
- A strong correlation between increasing age and seizure resistance in men receiving bilateral brief-pulse ECT was observed.
Conclusions:
- Seizure induction becomes significantly more difficult with advancing age in men undergoing brief-pulse, bilateral ECT.
- Age is a critical factor influencing ECT response and may necessitate treatment adjustments in older male patients.
- These findings highlight the need for age-specific considerations in ECT protocols for men.