Clinical Neuroscience of ECT (CNECT)

Out on PubMed, from researchers in Korea, is this study:  MRI textural plasticity in limbic gray matter associated with clinical response to electroconvulsive therapy for psychosis. Choe E, Kim M, Choi S, Oh H, Jang M, Park S, Kwon JS. Mol Psychiatry. 2024 Sep 26. doi: 10.1038/s41380-024-02755-7. Online ahead of print. PMID:  39327507 The abstract is copied below: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is effective against treatment-resistant psychosis, but its mechanisms remain unclear. Conventional volumetry studies have revealed plasticity in limbic structures following ECT but with inconsistent clinical relevance, as they potentially overlook subtle histological alterations. Our study analyzed microstructural changes in limbic structures after ECT using MRI texture analysis and demonstrated a correlation with clinical response. 36 schizophrenia or schizoaffective patients treated with ECT and medication, 27 patients treated with medication only, and 70 healthy controls (HCs) were include

 Out on PubMed, from authors in Seattle and New York, is this review: Current evidence on the use of sugammadex for neuromuscular blockade antagonism during  electroconvulsive  therapy - a narrative review. Arora V, Henson L, Kataria S. Korean J Anesthesiol. 2024 Oct 7. doi: 10.4097/kja.24234. Online ahead of print. PMID:  39374950 The abstract is copied below: Depression is a common mental health problem that is associated with significant disability and mortality. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been demonstrated to be effective at resolving expression of suicidal intent in patients with depression. In less acute situations, patients are usually referred for ECT after several medication trials. Neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) are used to block tonic-clonic motor activity and associated physical harm during the delivery of ECT. Succinylcholine (Sch), with its rapid onset of muscle relaxation, short self-terminating duration of action, and rapid subsequent return of spontaneo

  IMO, OpenEvidence gives excellent, nuanced answers to ECT questions. I post about it again so that blog readers are aware of it and can use it to explore the ECT literature. Full disclosure: I have nothing to do with OpenEvidence , I just think it is a very useful resource.

Out on PubMed, from educators in India, is this article:  Development and Validation of a Workshop-Based Educational Module: "Basic Course in Electroconvulsive Therapy" for Medical Students. Praharaj SK, Udupa ST, Jammigumpula A, Vadakedom SS. Indian J Psychol Med. 2024 Sep;46(5):445-451. doi: 10.1177/02537176241279245. Epub 2024 Sep 21. PMID:  39377067   The article is here . And from the text: Always good to see an article about ECT education. This one is mainly about the methodology of curriculum development, so... necessary, but pretty boring. Kudos to our Indian colleagues for this excellent effort to educate medical students about ECT. I hope they will share their actual materials (slides, videos) at some point so that others can use them in similar efforts.

 Out on PubMed,from investigators mostly in Sweden, is this study: Blood biomarkers of neuronal injury and astrocytic reactivity in electroconvulsive therapy. Sigström R, Göteson A, Joas E, Pålsson E, Liberg B, Nordenskjöld A, Blennow K, Zetterberg H, Landén M. Mol Psychiatry. 2024 Oct 3. doi: 10.1038/s41380-024-02774-4. Online ahead of print. PMID:  39363047 The abstract is copied below: Despite electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) being recognized as an effective treatment for major depressive episodes (MDE), its application is subject to controversy due to concerns over cognitive side effects. The pathophysiology of these side effects is not well understood. Here, we examined the effects of ECT on blood-based biomarkers of neuronal injury and astrocytic reactivity. Participants with a major depressive episode (N = 99) underwent acute ECT. Blood was sampled just before (T0) and 30 min after (T1) the first ECT session, as well as just before the sixth session (T2; 48-72 h after the fifth s

 Out on PubMed, from authors in Korea, is this new guideline: Development of a Clinical Guideline for Suicide Prevention in Psychiatric Patients Based on the ADAPTE Methodology. Yang JH, Yoo J, Kang DH, Park CHK, Rhee SJ, Kim MJ, Lee SY, Shim SH, Moon JJ, Cho SJ, Kim SG, Kim MH, Lee J, Kang WS, Lee WY, Ahn YM. Psychiatry Investig. 2024 Sep 30. doi: 10.30773/pi.2024.0195. Online ahead of print. PMID:  39344367   The abstract is copied below: Objective:  Suicide is a significant public health issue, with South Korea having the highest suicide rate among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries. This study aimed to develop clinical guidelines for suicide prevention in psychiatric patients in Korea using the ADAPTE methodology. Methods:  The development process involved a comprehensive review of literature, expert consultations, and consensus-building using the Nominal Group Technique and Delphi method. The guidelines focus on evidence-based psychiatric treatments, i