ELECTROCONVULSIVE-THERAPY IN THERAPY-RESISTANT DEPRESSION IN OLD-AGE

In the past 30 years electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was rarely applie d in Germany mostly due to political reasons. Now ECT gains more inter est again among psychiatrist as an effective somatic treatment for sev ere psychoses. Non-response to antidepressive medications is considere d as one of the major indications for ECT. However,there are only few reports in the literature concerning the use of ECT in the treatment o f late-life depression. Here we report on our experience with ECT trea tment of older depressive patients (mean age 69+/-5 years) not respond ing to different antidepressants before ECT. There was a marked clinic al improvement in 9 of the 12 (75%) cases (reduction of the Hamilton D epression Score to less than 50%). The only serious complication occur ring in the sample was a transient cardiac conduction delay. Our exper ience show that ECT is a safe treatment also for late-life depression, which should be applied more often to avoid chronification of depress ion.