Interictal Slow-Wave Focus in Left Medial Temporal Lobe during Bilateral Electroconvulsive Therapy

Vol. 52, No. 4, 2005

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Original Paper

Interictal Slow-Wave Focus in Left Medial Temporal Lobe during Bilateral Electroconvulsive Therapy
Andres H. Neuhaus^a, Juergen Gallinat^b, Malek Bajbouj^a, Friedel M. Reischies^a

^aDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, and
^bDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany

Address of Corresponding Author

Neuropsychobiology 2005;52:183-189 (DOI: 10.1159/000088861)

Key Words

Electroconvulsive therapy
Amnesia
Medial temporal lobe
Electroencephalogram
Low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography

Abstract

The interictal state between two electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) sessions is clinically characterised by possible cognitive adverse effects like mild amnestic syndrome. ECT-induced mnestic deficits can persist for several weeks after ECT. Electrophysiologically, slowing of brain electrical activity in the interictal state has often been reported. Especially, for bilateral ECT a correlation between enhanced left frontotemporal theta activity and retrograde amnesia has been demonstrated. This study focuses on the topographic distribution of cortical slow-wave oscillations during the interictal state of a bilateral ECT cycle. Twelve patients with major depression have been investigated with 32-channel resting EEG 24 h after the 6th ECT session. As controls, 8 major depressive patients were investigated prior to antidepressive treatment. The generating sources of slow-wave activity are estimated within the theta frequency band with low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography. Source analysis revealed a distinct pattern of theta activity in the depth of the left temporal lobe (fusiform and parahippocampal gyri, Brodmann areas 37 and 36, respectively; p< 0.05) during the interictal state. This finding suggests a dysfunction of the left medial temporal lobe memory system during the interictal state of a bilateral ECT cycle. It will further be discussed whether it is possible to obtain information about activity of deep brain structures like the hippocampal formation from scalp-recorded signals.

Author Contacts

Andres H. Neuhaus, MD
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité University Medicine Berlin
Campus Benjamin Franklin, Eschenallee 3
DE-14050 Berlin (Germany)
Tel. +49 30 8445 8760/4, Fax +49 30 8445 8393, E-Mail andres.neuhaus@charite.de

Article Information

Published online: October 10, 2005
Number of Print Pages : 7
Number of Figures : 1, Number of Tables : 3, Number of References : 37

Medline Abstract (ID 16220024)

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