Unilateral Versus Bilateral ECT in Schizophrenia

Fifty-four right-handed schizophrenic patients were treated after initial randomization with electroconvulsive therapy using three forms of electrode placements—bilateral, unilateral dominant, and unilateral non-dominant. Simultaneous assessments for improvement, memory impairment and confusion were made after 6 ECTs and after the last ECT. Treatments and assessments for efficacy and side effects were carried out under double blind conditions. The overall therapeutic results at the time of termination of treatment and at the time of follow-up after three months showed that all three treatment conditions were almost equally effective. Unilateral non-dominant ECT seemed preferable to unilateral dominant ECT and bilateral ECT during the early course of treatment for paranoid symptoms. Unilateral non-dominant ECT produced the least side effects.