ABSTRACT
1. Cognitive processing, as measured by 15 subtest from the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS) and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) was assessed in 109 depressed inpatients who were classified as under age 65 (N = 54) or 65 or older (N = 55). Within each age group, patients were further classified according to whether they had no prior ECT (N = 40), one prior ECT series (N = 37), or two or more prior series of ECT (N = 32). 2. After examining the data set for possible sources of bias such as group differences in the severity of depression, time since last ECT series, unilateral vs. bilateral electrode placement, adjunctive use of psychotropic medication, gender, education and so forth, a MANCOVA and a series of 15 two (age) by three (ECT history) by two (gender) analyses of covariance (education served as the covariate) were used to examine the main effects of ECT history, age and their interaction on cognitive performance. 3. No generalized adverse effects of prior ECT treatment were found but older patients with two or more prior ECT series performed significantly more poorly than other subgroups on 4 of 15 cognitive tests: (1) Personal and Current Information from the WMS, (2) WMS Stories recall, (3) 30-minute delayed WMS Stories and (4) WAIS-R Similarities. 4. These findings suggest that the verbal-narrative memory functioning of depressed geriatric patients with a history of at least one prior ECT series is particularly vulnerable to disruption.
