Time dependent therapeutic effects of single electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in endogenous depression.

The present study was addressed to test the hypothesis of time dependent effects of a single ECT in endogenous depression. In a randomized, prospective and double blind controlled comparison 12 patients received only one true modified ECT followed by five sham ECTs on alternate days. They responded as well as the control group of 12 patients who received six true ECTs on alternate days. The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and a global rating scale for depression were used to monitor therapeutic response. The therapeutic effects of ECT were time dependent developing during the second week of the study period.