Electroconvulsive therapy and autobiographical memory in patients with treatment-resistant depression

Abstract

Objectives. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the most effective treatment for drug-resistant depression. In most studies, cognitive functions including working and semantic memory showed only transient impairment after ECT. However, the deficits of episodic (autobiographical) memory were demonstrated to be long-lasting. Methods. We investigated autobiographical memory in 20 patients (8 male, 12 female), aged 21–64 years, with drug-resistant depression, treated with ECT, using the Polish adaptation of the Autobiographical Memory Interview-Short Form (AMI-SF). The assessments were performed before, immediately after 10–12 ECT sessions, and 3 months thereafter. Results. Before the ECT, the mean severity of depression was 30 ± 6 points on the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and the treatment produced a significant clinical improvement in all patients. The indices of autobiographical memory, as assessed by the AMI-SF, were significantly lower immediately after ECT and 3 months thereafter. The impairment in autobiographical memory did not show correlation with clinical improvement and with any other clinical factors. Conclusions. The results obtained in patients with drug-resistant depression confirm that ECT treatment produces a significant impairment of autobiographical memory persisting also three months after the procedure, suggesting that it may be the most important adverse cognitive effect of the ECT.