A Phase 4 interventional study of bilateral ultrabrief ECT and bilateral standard ECT in Major Depressive Disorder, sponsored by The University of New South Wales. Completed at 3 sites in Australia. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2013-02-27.
Sponsored by The University of New South Wales · Phase 4, Interventional, and Treatment
Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) remains essential to contemporary psychiatric practice and is one of the safest and most effective treatments available for depression. Despite modern advances in pharmacotherapy, about 15-20 per cent of all hospitalised patients receive treatment with ECT. Its use, however, is limited by concerns over associated cognitive side effects.
Recent research has suggested that using an ultrabrief pulsewidth with ECT may greatly reduce cognitive side effects, while maintaining efficacy (Sackeim et al 2008). Preliminary results were positive for unilateral ECT, however, suggest that for bilateral ECT, dosing may need to be adjusted to preserve efficacy while reducing side effects. This study will examine the relative cognitive side effects and efficacy of right unilateral and bilateral ECT given with a standard pulsewidth or an ultrabrief pulsewidth. Some participants will also receive an MRI scan before and after ECT.
4,845 studies on the registry are indexed under Depressive Disorder; 514 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 150 is above the median of 80 across 3,999 interventional studies indexed under Depressive Disorder.
Browse Depressive Disorder studies →The University of New South Wales is the lead sponsor of 65 studies on the registry; 6 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Exclusion Criteria:
Patients will be treated with an ultrabrief (0.3ms) pulse with a bilateral placement at 3-4 times seizure threshold.
Procedure: bilateral ultrabrief ECT
Patients will be treated with a standard (1.0ms) pulse with a bilateral placement at 1.5 times seizure threshold.
Procedure: bilateral standard ECT
Patients will be treated with an ultrabrief (0.3ms) pulse with a right unilateral placement at 8 times seizure threshold.
Procedure: right-unilateral ultrabrief ECT
Patients will be treated with a standard (1.0ms) pulse with a right unilateral placement at 5 times seizure threshold.
Procedure: right-unilateral standard ECT
Bilateral ECT at 3-4 times seizure threshold with an ultrabrief pulse (0.3ms)
Bilateral ECT with at 1.5 times seizure threshold with a standard pulse (1.0ms)
Right-unilateral ECT at 6 times seizure threshold with an ultrabrief pulse (0.3ms)
Right-unilateral ECT with at 5 times seizure threshold with a standard pulse (1.0ms)
Change in scores on Memory Tests
Time frame: Before ECT, after 6 ECT treatments, after final ECT treatment, one month and six month follow-up
Change in scores on Depression Rating Scale
Time frame: Before ECT, after each week of treatment, at the end of the ECT course
This study is completed, as verified in Sep 2011. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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The University of New South Wales