Depression and hemispheric functions: changes associated with unilateral ECT.

Overview

Nine depressed patients received ECT to the dominant (left) side along with nine matched depressed patients who received ECT to the non-dominant (right) side. Neuropsychological tests showed that the right hemispheric functions were more frequently abnormal as compared to left hemispheric (dominant) functions in the pre-ECT tests. ECTs delivered to either the right or left side improved right hemispheric functions when the depression was ameliorated. This study indicates that in depression right hemispheric functions are initially disturbed and ECT, instead of being deleterious to these functions, tends to improve them.