Neurorestorative Effects of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) in Patients With Severe Late Life Depression

NCT ID: NCT02667353

Last Updated: 2016-01-28

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

110 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2011-06-30

Study Completion Date

2015-12-31

Brief Summary

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To study the potential neurorestorative effects of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in depressed patients by measuring brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) serum levels and hippocampal volumes in severely depressed patients receiving ECT.

Detailed Description

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The investigators want to study the potential neurorestorative effects of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in depressed patients by measuring brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) serum levels and hippocampal volumes in severely depressed patients receiving ECT.

Clinical studies in severely depressed patients have shown that antidepressants and ECT can increase Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) serum levels. BDNF serum levels will be measured before, during and after ECT. In animal studies this increase in serum BDNF was shown to induce hippocampal mossy fiber sprouting and the investigators want to study this phenomenon in humans. Recently, a volumetric magnetic resonance imaging study showed increased hippocampal volume in patients with depression. Hippocampal volumes will be determined with magnetic resonance imaging scannings including voxel based morphometry. Severe depression is accompanied by a dysfunction of the hypothalamus pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis. Cortisol and several other hormones have psychotropic effects, and their excesses or deficiencies induce states of mania or depression. High levels of cortisol suppress hippocampal neurogenesis. Animal models have shown that this suppressive effect of cortisol on hippocampal neurogenesis could be reversed to normal levels by electroconvulsive stimulation, the animal model for ECT. This animal study is in good accordance with clinical findings.

The investigators hypothesize the following: Increase of brain-derived neurotrophic factor serum levels induced by electroconvulsive therapy are associated with remission and is correlated with a neurorestorative effect, which is an increase of hippocampal volume. Non- response to ECT is explained by either low BDNF serum levels regardless of hippocampus size, or by (more advanced) medial temporal lobe atrophy (beyond a point of no return) despite increased BDNF serum levels.

Additionally, four relevant functional candidate genes will be examined, based on their putative role in neurotrophic processes and/or in treatment response in depression: the brain derived neurotrophic factor gene, the serotonin transporter gene, the vascular endothelial growth factor gene and the apolipoprotein gene.

The investigators will also evaluate cognitive and psychomotor changes following electroconvulsive therapy given their clinical relevance in late life depression.

Conditions

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Depression

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NA

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Study Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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electroconvulsive therapy

only one arm in this study: patients who are treated with electroconvulsive therapy and have been given anesthesia with etomidate and succinylcholine

Group Type OTHER

ECT

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

ECT was administered twice a week with a constant-current brief-pulse device (Thymatron, System IV). Motor and electroencephalographic seizures were monitored to ensure adequate duration and quality. Subjects were all treated with right unilateral (RUL) ECT with stimulus intensity 6 times the initial seizure threshold (ST), as determined by empirical dose titration at the first treatment, until remission (Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) (27) \< 10 in two consecutive ratings with a week interval). Subjects who failed to respond right unilateral ECT after the sixth treatment were switched to bitemporal ECT (1.5x seizure threshold).

Etomidate

Intervention Type DRUG

Anesthesia was achieved with intravenous administration of etomidate (0.2mg/kg).

Succinylcholine

Intervention Type DRUG

Anesthesia was achieved with intravenous administration of succinylcholine (1mg/kg).

Interventions

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ECT

ECT was administered twice a week with a constant-current brief-pulse device (Thymatron, System IV). Motor and electroencephalographic seizures were monitored to ensure adequate duration and quality. Subjects were all treated with right unilateral (RUL) ECT with stimulus intensity 6 times the initial seizure threshold (ST), as determined by empirical dose titration at the first treatment, until remission (Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) (27) \< 10 in two consecutive ratings with a week interval). Subjects who failed to respond right unilateral ECT after the sixth treatment were switched to bitemporal ECT (1.5x seizure threshold).

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Etomidate

Anesthesia was achieved with intravenous administration of etomidate (0.2mg/kg).

Intervention Type DRUG

Succinylcholine

Anesthesia was achieved with intravenous administration of succinylcholine (1mg/kg).

Intervention Type DRUG

Other Intervention Names

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electroconvulsive therapy anesthetic muscle relaxant

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Patients are considered suitable after they were diagnosed as having severe depression according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV (DSM-IV criteria) and were above 55 years of age.

Exclusion Criteria

* another major psychiatric illness, (a history of) a major neurological illness (including Parkinson's disease, stroke, and dementia) and metal implants precluding Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

Subjects were included at the University Psychiatric Center Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven), Belgium and Geestelijke Gezondheidszorg in Geest (GGZinGeest), Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The project is part of the project Mood Disorders in Elderly and Electroconvulsive therapy (MODECT).
Minimum Eligible Age

55 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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VU University of Amsterdam

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Mathieu Vandenbulcke, MD PhD

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven

References

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Reference Type BACKGROUND
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Bocchio-Chiavetto L, Zanardini R, Bortolomasi M, Abate M, Segala M, Giacopuzzi M, Riva MA, Marchina E, Pasqualetti P, Perez J, Gennarelli M. Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) increases serum Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in drug resistant depressed patients. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2006 Dec;16(8):620-4. doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2006.04.010. Epub 2006 Jun 6.

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Bolwig TG, Madsen TM. Electroconvulsive therapy in melancholia: the role of hippocampal neurogenesis. Acta Psychiatr Scand Suppl. 2007;(433):130-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2007.00971.x.

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Oudega ML, van Exel E, Wattjes MP, Comijs HC, Scheltens P, Barkhof F, Eikelenboom P, de Craen AJ, Beekman AT, Stek ML. White matter hyperintensities, medial temporal lobe atrophy, cortical atrophy, and response to electroconvulsive therapy in severely depressed elderly patients. J Clin Psychiatry. 2011 Jan;72(1):104-12. doi: 10.4088/JCP.08m04989blu. Epub 2010 Aug 24.

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Wagenmakers MJ, Oudega ML, Bouckaert F, Rhebergen D, Beekman ATF, Veltman DJ, Sienaert P, van Exel E, Dols A. Remission Rates Following Electroconvulsive Therapy and Relation to Index Episode Duration in Patients With Psychotic Versus Nonpsychotic Late-Life Depression. J Clin Psychiatry. 2022 Aug 10;83(5):21m14287. doi: 10.4088/JCP.21m14287.

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Carlier A, Rhebergen D, Veerhuis R, Schouws S, Oudega ML, Eikelenboom P, Bouckaert F, Sienaert P, Obbels J, Stek ML, van Exel E, Dols A. Inflammation and Cognitive Functioning in Depressed Older Adults Treated With Electroconvulsive Therapy: A Prospective Cohort Study. J Clin Psychiatry. 2021 Aug 10;82(5):20m13631. doi: 10.4088/JCP.20m13631.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 34383393 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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S53144

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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