FOCAL ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHIC CHANGES IN UNILATERAL ELECTRIC CONVULSION THERAPY

Abstract

THIS study was made to evaluate any unilateral or focal effects that might be the result of unilateral placement of stimulating electrodes in electric convulsion therapy. If the passage of the electric current is localized dependent on placement of the stimulating electrodes, it should be possible to demonstrate such localization by observation of the nature of the convulsion produced and by electroencephalographic recordings. Accordingly, extensive clinical, psychologic, electroencephalographic and neurologic studies have been made. This paper is concerned with the electroencephalographic findings in relation to the type of convulsion obtained and to the improvement manifested by the patient. MATERIAL AND METHODS The choice of patients for the entire study considered only the patient's ability to cooperate adequately for electroencephalograms and psychologic evaluation. All subjects were men, mostly between the ages of 20 and 30, the commonest diagnosis being paranoid schizophrenia. Patients with other classifications of schizophrenia, as well as manic-depressive