MEMORY IMPAIRMENT AT ECT

• Memory impairment following ECT is common.
• Memory impairment can be associated with severe depression and can be marked even when patients have not had ECT.
• Some studies have shown that ECT does not increase the memory impairment already caused by severe depression.
• Despite this there is no doubt that short term memory impairment around the course of ECT and the few weeks afterwards is very common (60-70% of patients).
• Past memories can also be affected. It is difficult to know how much of this is caused by ECT and how much by severe depression.
• Memory impairment due to ECT recovers gradually over the six months following treatment though some patients only very slowly recover past memories and some have permanent gaps in their memory for some past events.