ECT Pulse Amplitude and Medial Temporal Lobe Engagement
Completed · Phase 4
Conditions studied: Major Depressive Disorder
In brief
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) remains the gold-standard treatment for patients with depressive episodes. During a typical four-week ECT series, most depressive episodes will respond to treatment and people will improve their level of functioning (return to work or family). Independent of the antidepressant effect of ECT, many patients experience transient memory impairment. This investigation will examine the impact of one ECT parameter (pulse amplitude or current) on brain changes (structure of connections within the brain) and clinical outcomes. The goal of this investigation is to determine the optimal parameter for an individual patient that will maintain the clinical response (reduce depression severity) and minimize side effects (eliminate memory issues related to treatment).
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT02999269
- Run by
- University of New Mexico
- People needed
- 62
- Starts
- 2016-10-01
- Expected to finish
- 2020-03-23
- Last updated by the study team
- 2023-07-24
Who can join
Age: 50 and older, up to 80. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.
You may qualify if…
- Diagnosis of major depressive disorder (with or without psychotic features)
- the clinical indications for ECT including treatment resistance or a need for a rapid and definitive response
- Hamilton Depression Rating Scale 24-item (HDRS-24) > 21
- age range between 50 and 80 years of age
- right-handedness
You may not qualify if…
- Defined neurological or neurodegenerative disorder (e.g., history of head injury with loss of consciousness > 5 minutes, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease)
- other psychiatric conditions (e.g., schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder)
- current drug or alcohol use disorder, except for nicotine; and 4) contraindications to MRI.
Where it is running
- Chris Abbott — Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
Trial information comes from ClinicalTrials.gov and is refreshed daily. TrialsForMe does not provide medical care and does not run the studies it lists.