INVESTIGATION OF THE THERAPEUTIC COMPONENTS AND VARIOUS FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH IMPROVEMENT WITH ELECTROCONVULSIVE TREATMENT: A PRELIMINARY REPORT

• DOI: 10.1176/ajp.113.11.997
• Publication Date: 2014-12-17T18:14:22Z
• Authors: N. Q. BRILL; E. CRUMPTON; S. EIDUSON; H. M. GRAYSON; L. I. HELLMAN; R. A. RICHARDS; H. D. STRASSMAN; A. A. UNGER
• Keywords: Humans; Electroconvulsive Therapy; 3. Good health

1. This is a preliminary report of a study designed to investigate the mode of action of ECT and the degree to which various physiological, biochemical and psychological factors in patients were related to its effectiveness. Thirty-six patients were assigned at random to a course of 1 of 5 treatment methods: ECT; ECT with anectine; ECT with Pentothal; Pentothal; and nitrous oxide. 2. There were no significant differences among the 5 treatment groups with respect to improvement. When just schizophrenic patients without clinical depression were studied, the results obtained by ECT were the same as those obtained by repeatedly rendering the patient unconscious by Pentothal or nitrous oxide. Consistent with clinical experience, there was a greater degree of improvement seen in patients with clinically evident depression than in those with no clinical depression, regardless of type of treatment received. 3. Contrary to expectations, patients with no sign of "self-expressed depression" and without "exaggerated ...