Correlation between Post-Acute Electroconvulsive Therapy Alpha-Band Spectrum Power Increase and Improvement of Psychiatric Symptoms.

Hideyuki Iwanaga,Manabu Hashimoto,Hiroshi Tateishi,Naoya Oribe,Yutaka Kunitake,Nami Haraguchi,Takefumi Ueno,Akira Monji,Yoshito Mizoguchi,Jun Nishimura,Naho Nakayama

doi:10.3390/jpm11121315

Abstract

The results of quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) studies on electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) have been inconsistent, and indicators of the efficacy of ECT have not been clearly identified. In this study, we examined whether qEEG could be used as an indicator of the effect of ECT by measuring it during the course of treatment. We analyzed qEEG data before and after acute-phase ECT in 18 patients with schizophrenia, mood disorders, and other psychiatric disorders. We processed the qEEG data and compared the spectral power between the data acquired before and after ECT. The spectral power increased significantly after ECT in the delta, theta, and alpha bands. There was a strong significant correlation between the increase in the spectral power of the alpha band after acute ECT and improvement in the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale score. Our results suggest that an increase in the alpha-band spectral power may be useful as an objective indicator of the treatment effect of acute ECT.

Highlights

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), first performed in 1938 [1], has since been used for the treatment of schizophrenia and mood disorders
Spectral power was significantly increased at delta, theta, alpha 1, Hz), and gamma
FoundWe that the that the spectral power significantly increased after electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in the delta, theta, and alpha ranges

Summary

Introduction

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), first performed in 1938 [1], has since been used for the treatment of schizophrenia and mood disorders. Despite the development of psychotropic drugs as effective treatments for various psychiatric disorders, ECT has retained an important clinical role. ECT was initially used for the treatment of schizophrenia, but this use has been reduced with the advent of antipsychotics. It has been reported to be effective for the treatment of several psychiatric disorders including bipolar disorder and depression [3]. Despite having indications for a variety of psychiatric disorders, the treatment course of ECT, which is indicated for both schizophrenia and mood disorders, has very rarely been analyzed in the literature

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Conclusion