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Depression and Hemispheric Functions: Changes Associated with Unilateral ECT

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Ziad Kronfol
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa 52242
K. Des Hamsher
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, 52242
Kathleen Digre
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, 52242
Rafiq Waziri
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa 52242

Summary

Nine depressed patients received ECT to the dominant (left) side along with nine matched depressed patients who received ECT to the non-dominant (right) side. Neuropsychological tests showed that the right hemispheric functions were more frequently abnormal as compared to left hemispheric (dominant) functions in the pre-ECT tests. ECTs delivered to either the right or left side improved right hemispheric functions when the depression was ameliorated. This study indicates that in depression right hemispheric functions are initially disturbed and ECT, instead of being deleterious to these functions, tends to improve them.

Type
Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1978 

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