Effect of Memantine on Cognitive Performance of Patients with Mood Disorders under Electroconvulsive Therapy: a Triple-Blind Clinical Trial

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is commonly used in the treatment of psychiatric patients. However, it may cause cognitive disorders in patients undergoing the procedure. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of memantine on the alleviation of cognitive impairments in patients undergoing ECT.

In this triple-blind clinical trial, 60 patients with depression phase of unipolar or bipolar non polycystic disorder were randomly divided into two groups of 30. In the treatment group, the patients received memantine for the whole period of treatment starting 24 hours before ECT (starting dose 10 mg/day, increased to 20 mg/day within one week) and continuing until the sixth session of ECT. In the control group, the patients received the placebo. The cognitive performance of patients was assessed using the Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) and the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (ACE) 24 hours before the first ECT session, 24 hours after the sixth ECT session, and one month after the end of the ECT sessions. The study lasted 1.5 years.

The MMSE score at the end of the study period (one month after the completion of ECT) in the memantine group was significantly higher than the control group (P=0.008). However, there was no significant difference between the scores of ACE-R between the two groups after ECT. No significant relationship was found between the two groups in any of ACE-R items.

According to the MMSE test, it seems that memantine reduces cognitive disorders in patients receiving ECT, but this finding was not observed in ACE-R.