Electroconvulsive Therapy Impact on Memory Performance in Patients With Depression

The safety of electroconvulsive therapy has improved greatly over the last decades, making the potentially adverse effects on memory and other neurocognitive functions the main clinical aspect of concern in the present. In Colombia, the general population and healthcare professionals (even some psychiatrists) seem to have mostly negative opinions towards electroconvulsive therapy treatment, but maybe this could be reconsidered if more information is provided; therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the changes in memory and the severity of the symptoms in a group of patients with severe depression before and after electroconvulsive therapy.

Twenty-three patients ranging in age from 23 to 70 years from the electroconvulsive therapy service at the San Juan de Dios Clinic (Manizales, Colombia) were recruited in order to assess the effect of electroconvulsive therapy on memory in patients with severe depression. Depressive symptoms and memory were assessed with the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) and Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), respectively. The assessment was administered to participants before the initial treatment of electroconvulsive therapy series (0-1 day) and 2 days after their last treatment.

Electroconvulsive therapy resulted in significant improvement in the rating of depression. There were no significant differences in the five learning trials, delayed recall, learning and forgetting scores from pre-treatment to post-treatment. Significant pre-treatment/post-treatment differences were found in the delayed recognition trial.

Pre- and post- electroconvulsive therapy cognitive assessment is a feasible and useful procedure. In general, memory performance does not worsen after electroconvulsive therapy in patients with depression. Only delayed recognition is affected a few days following electroconvulsive therapy, particularly in patients with low educational level and bitemporal (BT) electrode placement.