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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy

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Published on: April 11, 2019

New-onset dissociative disorder after electroconvulsive therapy.

Eduardo Zaidner¹, R Andrew Sewell, Evan Murray

¹Adult Outpatient Psychiatry Service, Cambridge Health Alliance, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA.

The Journal of ECT

|November 26, 2009

Summary

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can cause temporary cognitive issues. In rare cases, like this one, ECT may trigger dissociative symptoms, which resolved spontaneously.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Psychiatry

Background:

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a highly effective psychiatric treatment.
Cognitive impairment, particularly memory loss, is a known adverse effect of ECT.
Dissociative disorders involve memory, consciousness, and identity disturbances, but are rarely iatrogenic.

Observation:

A case report details a patient developing dissociative symptoms post-ECT.
The patient, with a history of bipolar disorder and anorexia, experienced significant personality changes and time disorientation after ECT.
Neuropsychological tests were normal, and symptoms resolved spontaneously within two weeks.

Findings:

This case highlights a rare iatrogenic occurrence of dissociative symptoms following ECT.
The patient's psychiatric profile may have been a contributing factor.

Implications:

Further research is needed to identify risk factors for ECT-induced dissociative episodes.
Understanding these risks can help refine patient selection and monitoring for ECT.
This case broadens the understanding of potential adverse effects of electroconvulsive therapy.