TITLE:
A Prospective Study of Maintenance Electroconvulsive Therapy in an Elderly Depressed Population
AUTHORS:
Popuri Krishna, Lakyntiew Aulakh, Declan Boylan, Louis Lakatos
KEYWORDS:
Maintenance Electroconvulsive Therapy (M-ECT), Depression, Elderly Population
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Psychiatry,
Vol.11 No.2,
March
10,
2021
ABSTRACT: Objective: This study was conducted to discern the efficacy of maintenance electroconvulsive therapy (M-ECT) in a population of depressed elderly individuals with treatment-resistant depression. Methodology: Twenty-nine (N = 29) individuals over the age of 65 years of age and older were assigned to a control or treatment group on the basis of their decision to receive M-ECT (treatment group) or to refrain from receiving the treatment (control group). A battery of psychometric tests designed to measure severity of depression, quality of life, and cognition were administered at baseline as well as at 6-month and 1-year intervals. Results: Statistical analysis of the data indicated no significant differences in the efficacy of M-ECT between the control and treatment groups in any of the tests administered during the participation of the study. Conclusion: The results of the study suggest that there is no added benefit for patients administered M-ECT. However, study sample size and availability of alternative treatment regimens for the control group limit generalizability of these findings and warrant further investigation.