The Effectiveness of Electroconvulsive on the Major Depression Patients with the Weak and Strong Memory

Abstract Electroconvulsive therapy has been recognized as a very effective treatment for severe depressions. Studies have shown that in major depressive patients, speed of information processing after the treatment with ECT will be increased. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of ECT on the memory of the major depressive patients to see whether this kind of treatment has any effect on improvement of the memory of these patients. Background: In this study, with the experimental design, repeated measurement of ECT effect on major depressive patient memory was investigated. For this purpose, the function of these patients on the Wechsler memory measure test in two strong and weak groups regarding their memory quotient were investigated before ECT, 48 hours and six weeks after the last session of ECT. In each group 15 patients were selected and matched considering age, education and other intended variables in the research. The patients received ECT laterally on their non- dominant hemisphere, three sessions a week. The results were interpreted with the use of measuring the analysis of variance and F test. Methods: The mean scores for the strong MQ group before the ECT was 94.13 and 48 hours after the last session was 89.40 and in the weak group was 79.66 and 75.86 respectively, in both groups a significant difference of P < 0.0001 exists. Six week after the ECT in both groups it was 98.20 and 84.46 respectively that in strong group in P < 0.0001 and in weak group P < 0.02 it was significant. The scores in the 48 hours after the ECT stage was decreasing but in the 6 weeks after the ECT stage was increasing. Findings: The present study shows that decrease in memory after the ECT is temporary and six weeks after the last session of ECT patient's memory in both weak and strong groups would be improved and would be increased. Conclusion: Major depression, electroconvulsive, memory. Key words: