OBJECTIVE: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is one of the most effective options available for treating depressive and psychotic symptoms in a variety of disorders. While the exact mechanism of ECT is unclear, it is known to increase metabolism and blood flow specifically in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). The ACC is a cortical generator of theta rhythms, which are abnormal in patients with depression and psychotic disorders. Since patients with psychotic depression are known to respond particularly robustly to ECT, we investigated whether the therapeutic effect of ECT in this population was related to normalization of abnormal theta activity in the ACC. METHOD: We obtained 19-lead electroencephalography (EEG) data from 17 participants with psychotic depression before and 2-3 weeks after a full course of ECT. EEG data was analyzed with quantitative measures and low-resolution electromagnetic tomography (LORETA) compared to an age-adjusted normative database. RESULTS: Quantitative EEG analyses revealed that theta band (4-7 Hz) activity was the only frequency band that changed with ECT. LORETA analyses revealed that the primary site of theta activity change was within the subgenual ACC (Brodmann area 25). There was a positive association between increased subgenual ACC theta activity and decreased psychotic symptoms. The degree of low theta activity in the subgenual ACC prior to ECT predicted the antipsychotic response of ECT. CONCLUSIONS: The antipsychotic effect of ECT is related to normalization of subgenual ACC theta hypoactivity.
OBJECTIVE: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is one of the most effective options available for treating depressive and psychotic symptoms in a variety of disorders. While the exact mechanism of ECT is unclear, it is known to increase metabolism and blood flow specifically in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). The ACC is a cortical generator of theta rhythms, which are abnormal in patients with depression and psychotic disorders. Since patients with psychotic depression are known to respond particularly robustly to ECT, we investigated whether the therapeutic effect of ECT in this population was related to normalization of abnormal theta activity in the ACC. METHOD: We obtained 19-lead electroencephalography (EEG) data from 17 participants with psychotic depression before and 2-3 weeks after a full course of ECT. EEG data was analyzed with quantitative measures and low-resolution electromagnetic tomography (LORETA) compared to an age-adjusted normative database. RESULTS: Quantitative EEG analyses revealed that theta band (4-7 Hz) activity was the only frequency band that changed with ECT. LORETA analyses revealed that the primary site of theta activity change was within the subgenual ACC (Brodmann area 25). There was a positive association between increased subgenual ACC theta activity and decreased psychotic symptoms. The degree of low theta activity in the subgenual ACC prior to ECT predicted the antipsychotic response of ECT. CONCLUSIONS: The antipsychotic effect of ECT is related to normalization of subgenual ACC theta hypoactivity.
Authors: B G Bunney; J Z Li; D M Walsh; R Stein; M P Vawter; P Cartagena; J D Barchas; A F Schatzberg; R M Myers; S J Watson; H Akil; W E Bunney Journal: Mol Psychiatry Date: 2014-11-04 Impact factor: 15.992
Authors: Nora D Volkow; Dardo Tomasi; Gene-Jack Wang; Joanna S Fowler; Frank Telang; Ruiliang Wang; Dave Alexoff; Jean Logan; Christopher Wong; Kith Pradhan; Elisabeth C Caparelli; Yeming Ma; Millard Jayne Journal: Neuroimage Date: 2010-02-13 Impact factor: 6.556
Authors: Benny Liberg; Paul Klauser; Ian H Harding; Mats Adler; Christoffer Rahm; Johan Lundberg; Thomas Masterman; Caroline Wachtler; Tomas Jonsson; Maria Kristoffersen-Wiberg; Christos Pantelis; Björn Wahlund Journal: Front Psychiatry Date: 2014-12-04 Impact factor: 4.157
Authors: Kelly Rowe Bijanki; Brendan Hodis; Michael C Brumm; Emily L Harlynn; Laurie M McCormick Journal: PLoS One Date: 2014-10-22 Impact factor: 3.240