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Dichotic Perception and Memory Following Electroconvulsive Treatment for Depression

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Karl M. Williams ,
William G. Iacono ,
Ronald A. Remick  and
Patrick Greenwood
Karl M. Williams
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
William G. Iacono*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
Ronald A. Remick
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Patrick Greenwood
Affiliation:
Shaughnessy Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
*
∗Correspondence
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Extract

Verbal and visuospatial memory and dichotic listening performance were examined in 15 acutely depressed patients with no history of ECT, 17 depressed patients currently in remission, 15 remitted depressed patients who had received ECT six months or more in the past, and 20 normal controls. The neuropsychological functioning of an additional group of 10 acutely depressed patients was also studied before and two weeks after ECT. The results revealed some evidence of logical and autobiographical memory impairment two weeks following ECT, but no evidence that ECT impaired dichotic listening ability. Rather, a normalisation of hemispheric laterality was apparent on the dichotic listening task following ECT and the concomitant relief from depression. There was also no evidence of cognitive dysfunction on any task in individuals who were tested six months or more following their last ECT treatment.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 157 , Issue 3 , September 1990 , pp. 366 - 372
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1990 

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