Six right-unilateral and bilateral ECTs were equally effective in
reducing Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression scores in 34 melancholic
patients whose EEG symmetry did not change after ECT. However, a
substantial therapeutic advantage was recorded for bilateral ECT in those
patients whose EEG symmetry changed. Accentuation of ECT-induced EEG
slowing over the right hemisphere was associated with right- unilateral ECT
and a lesser treatment response, suggesting that the therapeutic advantage
reported by some investigators for bilateral over right-unilateral ECT may
be attributed to a poor outcome experienced by those unilateral ECT
patients who developed right-sided EEG slowing.
Abstract Teaser