SUBJECTIVE SYMPTOMS IN DEPRESSION AND DURING THE COURSE OF ELECTROCONVULSIVE-THERAPY

Subjective symptoms were assessed 1 hour and 50 minutes after each of 8 ECT treatments in a series of 12. By this time all patients were ful ly oriented and had completed cognitive assessment. A subgroup of pati ents was also after simulated ECT. Additional assessments of subjectiv e symptoms were done during the pre-ECT depressive state and 3 days af ter completion of the ECT series. The results showed a decrease in acu te subjective symptoms as a function of the number of real ECT treatme nts in the series. These acute-subjective symptoms were greater after real ECT than after simulated ECT. A decrease in the number of symptom s reported before ECT was noted 3 days after the completion of the ECT series. The severity of depression, as measured by the Hamilton Depre ssion Scale, was correlated with the magnitude of acute subjective sym ptoms only in the two later assessments in the series. It is suggested that the effect of the ECT is paradoxical. It causes an increase in t he severity of symptoms experienced acutely after each treatment but r educes the severity of symptoms experienced acutely at later treatment s.