Abstract:

AIM: To investigate effects of the acute and long-term clinical efficacy and cognitive function by using short-term modified electroconvulsive therapy (MECT) in addition to antidepressants for the treatment of major depression. METHODS: 132 patients of major depression were divided into two groups:the control group (74 cases) and the experimental group (58 cases). Two groups were treated with antidepressants and antidepressants with short-term MECT. All patients were assessed on the first day of hospitalization, at the end of 1st week, 2nd week, 3rd week of hospitalization, after half year, and after one year based on Scale for the Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) and Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS). The adverse effects and the length of hospital stay in acute phase were assessed using treatment-emergent symptom scale (TESS) . RESULTS: At the end of 2nd week and 3rd week of hospitalization, there was significant difference (P<0.05) in HAMD but no significant difference (P>0.05) in TESS scores between the experimental group and the control group. WMS score in the experimental group was worse than the control group at the end of 3rd week of hospitalization. However, there was significant difference (P<0.05) in WMS after half year and one year. The recurrence rate of the experimental group was lower than that of the control group at the end of 12 months. CONCLUSION: Using adequate antidepressants with short-term MECT during outbreak of major depression helped to improve the long-dated negative symptoms and cognitive function. Adequate antidepressants combined with short-term MECT is an effective treatment program, which can help to improve the depressive symptoms promptly and thoroughly, and reduce the length of hospital stay in acute phase and long-term risk of recurrence rate, but also to avoid cognitive impairment of MECT due to too many times of MECT.

Key words:  major depression, antidepressants, modified electroconvulsive therapy,  , Hamilton depression scale, Wechsler Memory Scale