Comparison of Three Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) Techniques for the Treatment of Major Depression

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

Status: Completed

Conditions: Depression

Treatments: Procedure: Electroconvulsive Therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT00069407

DSIR 83-ATSO

R01MH067201 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study will compare the antidepressant benefits and cognitive side effects of three different types of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in people with unipolar or bipolar depression.

Full description

ECT is an important treatment for severely depressed people who do not respond adequately to, or are intolerant of, antidepressant medication. Traditionally, ECT has been administered with one of two standard techniques: bilateral and right unilateral electrode placement. However, these techniques are limited by either low efficacy or high cognitive impairment. Recently, an additional technique for ECT administration has shown promise in preliminary studies: bifrontal ECT. This study will compare this technique to the two traditional ECT techniques in treating people with depressive symptoms.

Participants in this study will be randomly assigned to receive standard bilateral ECT, high-dose right unilateral ECT, or bifrontal ECT in their index course. Depression symptoms, neuropsychological status, and quality of life will be measured throughout the course of the ECT treatment, one week after, and at a 2-month follow-up visit. This study will run for 4 years.

Enrollment: 230 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of unipolar or bipolar depression

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

---

230 participants in 3 patient groups

RUL

Active Comparator group

Description:

Right unilateral electroconvulsive therapy

Treatment:

Procedure: Electroconvulsive Therapy

BL

Active Comparator group

Description:

Bilateral electroconvulsive therapy

Treatment:

Procedure: Electroconvulsive Therapy

BF

Active Comparator group

Description:

Bifrontal electroconvulsive therapy

Treatment:

Procedure: Electroconvulsive Therapy