Short-Term Effects of Electroconvulsive Therapy on Subjective and Actigraphy-Assessed Sleep Parameters in Severely Depressed Inpatients

Abstract

Background. Sleep disturbances are a key feature of major depression. Electroconvulsive treatment (ECT) may improve polysomnography-assessed sleep characteristics, but its short-term effects on actigraphy-assessed and subjective sleep characteristics are unknown. We therefore aimed to assess the effects of ECT on subjective and objective sleep parameters in a proof-of-principle study. Methods. We assessed subjective and objective sleep parameters in 12 severely depressed patients up to 5 consecutive days during their ECT course, corresponding to a total of 43 nights (including 19 ECT sessions). The 12 patients were 83% female and on average 62 (standard deviation (SD) 14) years old and had an average MADRS score of 40 at baseline (SD 21). Results. Subjective and objective sleep parameters were not directly affected by ECT. The subjective sleep efficiency parameter was similar on the day after ECT and other days. ECT did not affect the number of errors in the Sustained Attention to Response Task. Patients subjectively underestimated their total sleep time by 1.4 hours (P < 0.001) compared to actigraphy-assessed sleep duration. Conclusion. ECT did not affect subjective and actigraphy-assessed sleep in the short term. Depressed patients profoundly underestimated their sleep duration.

Current Advances in Wearable Devices and Their Sensors in Patients With Depression

“…Specifically, with mirtazapine medication for MDD patients, no significant improvement was found for actigraphic sleep measures (13). Also, both Winkler et al (14) and Hoogerhoud et al (15) reported that ECT did not affect actigraphy-assessed sleep. Rojo-Wissar et al (21) suggested that maternal bonding characteristics were associated with sleep characteristics in adulthood but were not dependent on depression status.…”

“…An actigraph unit is typically equipped with linear or a three-axis accelerometer to detect movements. Actigraph units are produced by various companies, with most studies (9,11,14,15) using actigraph units manufactured by Cambridge Neurotechnology Ltd (Cambridgeshire, England). However, new devices and algorithms are being developed constantly, and there is no consensus regarding which device or algorithm is most appropriate for assessing patients with depression (26).…”

Wearable devices for anxiety & depression: A scoping review

“…[ 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 ]…”

Is Advancing Circadian Rhythm the Mechanism of Antidepressants?

“…In a study using actigraphy to determine the potential acute effects of ECT on sleep parameters, researchers found no difference in sleep quality between nights after ECT and other nights, neither in subjective nor objective parameters of the evaluation of actigraphy [11].…”