Pilot Study of Cerebral Hemodynamics in Depressive Patient Under Electroconvulsive Therapy.

BACKGROUND

Major depressive disorder (MDD) poses a significant treatment challenge, with some patients unresponsive to conventional therapies. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can be effective but its mechanisms are not fully understood. This study employs functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) to explore the neurobiological changes induced by ECT in A MDD patient, aiming to shed light on its therapeutic effects.

PURPOSE

This study employs fNIRS to assess differences between MDD patient and controls, and examines changes in cerebral hemodynamics and brain network nodes post-ECT to elucidate treatment mechanisms.

METHODS

26 age and gender-matched controls and one MDD male patient underwent fNIRS during a verbal fluency task. The patient received ECT, with dynamic evaluation of beta, integral, and centroid values in regions of interest (ROIs) post-treatment. Resting-state fNIRS and functional connectivity assessments were also conducted post-ECT.

RESULTS

MDD patient exhibited significantly lower hemodynamic metrics and functional connectivity compared to controls at baseline. Post-ECT, dynamic changes in these metrics were observed, trending towards normalization and showing no significant differences from controls.

CONCLUSION

ECT modifies cerebral hemodynamics and functional connectivity in depressive patients, as evidenced by fNIRS metrics. This study underscores the utility of fNIRS for objective neurobiological monitoring in ECT treatment.