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Related Concept Videos

Electroconvulsive Therapy01:30

Electroconvulsive Therapy

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), or shock therapy, remains a critical biomedical intervention for severe, treatment-resistant depression. While its origins can be traced back to Hippocrates' observations that malaria-induced convulsions alleviated mental illness, modern ECT has evolved significantly from its earlier, more primitive applications. First introduced in 1938 by Ugo Cerletti and his colleagues, ECT involves inducing controlled seizures using electrical currents. In its early years,...
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Long-term Depression01:05

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Electroconvulsive Seizures in Rats and Fractionation of Their Hippocampi to Examine Seizure-induced Changes in Postsynaptic Density Proteins
09:07

Electroconvulsive Seizures in Rats and Fractionation of Their Hippocampi to Examine Seizure-induced Changes in Postsynaptic Density Proteins

Published on: August 15, 2017

Changes in everyday and semantic memory function after electroconvulsive therapy for unipolar depression.

Anke Schat1, Walter W van den Broek, Paul G H Mulder

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

The Journal of ECT
|September 7, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) causes a temporary decline in everyday memory for depressed patients, with effects varying by age and electrode placement. Semantic memory shows a fluctuating but improving course over time, particularly in older individuals.

More Related Videos

Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy
04:51

Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy

Published on: April 11, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Electroconvulsive Seizures in Rats and Fractionation of Their Hippocampi to Examine Seizure-induced Changes in Postsynaptic Density Proteins
09:07

Electroconvulsive Seizures in Rats and Fractionation of Their Hippocampi to Examine Seizure-induced Changes in Postsynaptic Density Proteins

Published on: August 15, 2017

Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy
04:51

Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy

Published on: April 11, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry
  • Cognitive Psychology

Background:

  • Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a treatment for severe mood disorders.
  • The impact of ECT on cognitive functions, particularly memory, requires further investigation.
  • Understanding long-term cognitive effects is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To prospectively evaluate the effects of ECT on everyday and semantic memory.
  • To assess the influence of patient age and electrode placement on memory outcomes.
  • To determine the persistence of memory changes at 3-month and 12-month follow-ups.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective analysis of memory test results from 96 inpatients with unipolar depression.
  • Assessment of everyday memory using the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test (RBMT).
  • Evaluation of semantic memory using two forms of the word fluency test, with data collected before, after, and at follow-up intervals.

Main Results:

  • Age negatively impacted everyday memory (RBMT scores) throughout the study.
  • Bilateral electrode placement temporarily improved everyday memory, which returned to baseline at 12 months.
  • Semantic memory performance fluctuated, with older patients showing greater improvement at follow-up, influenced by age and electrode placement.

Conclusions:

  • ECT induces a transient, reversible decrease in everyday memory in depressed patients.
  • Age and electrode placement are significant factors influencing both everyday and semantic memory changes post-ECT.
  • Older patients demonstrate enhanced semantic memory recovery following ECT compared to younger patients.