Unilateral and Bilateral Electroconvulsive Therapy

The effects of electroconvulsive therapy on human learning and memory.

“…There were no significant changes in WMS scores between pre and post ABF-ECT testing. They compared this result with the findings from an earlier study of UND-ECT (Abrams, Fink, Dornbush, Feldstein, Volavka and Roubicek, 1972) in which similar results were obtained. It is also the case, however, that nonsignificant changes in WMS scores have been found after BI-ECT (Levy, 1968;Sutherland et al, 1969) so that the implications of this finding are open to question.…”

Effects of single and repeated electroconvulsive therapy sessions on plasma ACTH, prolactin, growth hormone and cortisol concentrations

“…Unilateral ECT has been presented as an alternative mode of treatment to bilateral ECT with possibly fewer side effects (Consensus Conference, 1985), but concerns about its efficacy have been raised (Abrams et al, 1972). With regard to ECT-induced hormone release, it has been suggested that bilateral ECT was associated with a larger increment in hormone release than unilateral ECT, noted mostly in conjunction with PRL release (Swartz & Abrams, 1984).…”

Electroconvulsive therapy effects on anhedonia and reward circuitry anatomy: a dimensional structural neuroimaging approach

“…While our clinical understanding of ECT is significant, it contrasts with how little we know about its neurobiological mechanisms of action. Given how diffuse the induced electric fields are [4] and the fact that ECT leads to a generalized seizure (i.e., the entire brain seizes), ECT has been traditionally considered a diffuse and non-specific neuromodulation treatment [5,6]. However, previous neuroimaging ECT research has shown ECT is more focal than previously considered [7,8].…”