Anterior Bifrontal ECT: A Clinical Trial

Abstract

Unilateral ECT (U/ECT) produces therapeutic generalized convulsions with less amnesia and confusion than classical bilateral ECT (B/ECT). The clinical effects of these two methods have recendy been compared (Abrams et al., 1972) and reviewed (Abrams, 1972), with the conclusion that U/ECT is less effective than B/ECT in the treatment of depressed patients. Generalized seizures are induced with both methods, and we considered the possibility that the therapeutic advantage for B/ECT lay in its bilateral stimulation of the brain. An opportunity to evaluate the effects of bilateral stimulation exclusive of the temporal lobes arose at the suggestion of Inglis (1970) that seizures induced with treatment electrodes placed over the front of the head should improve mood but have less effect on memory than the other techniques.