Trial reportThe international journal of neuropsychopharmacology2014
A randomized controlled trial of brief and ultrabrief pulse right unilateral electroconvulsive therapy.
Erratum issuedOpen access · bronzeAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph
Trial report in The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 25 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
25citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
3.9field-weighted citation impact, top 6% of its field
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
25 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 76 citations in OpenAlex.
- Ultrabrief pulse electroconvulsive therapy for depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Molecular psychiatry · 2026Pooled it
- Efficacy and safety of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation for patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia with predominantly negative symptoms: a randomized clinical trial and efficacy sensitivity biomarkers.Molecular psychiatry · 2025Trial
- Comparing the Neurocognitive Effects of Right Unilateral Ultra-Brief Pulse Electroconvulsive Therapy and Magnetic Seizure Therapy for the Treatment of Major Depressive Episode.Biological psychiatry. Cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging · 2025Trial
- Neurocognitive Effects of Combined Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) and Venlafaxine in Geriatric Depression: Phase 1 of the PRIDE Study.The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry · 2020Trial
- Seizure threshold increases can be predicted by EEG quality in right unilateral ultrabrief ECT.European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience · 2017Trial
- Right Unilateral Ultrabrief Pulse ECT in Geriatric Depression: Phase 1 of the PRIDE Study.The American journal of psychiatry · 2016Trial
- Predicting Retrograde Autobiographical Memory Changes Following Electroconvulsive Therapy: Relationships between Individual, Treatment, and Early Clinical Factors.The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology · 2015Trial
- Trial
- Effects of modifying the pulse width on cognitive side effects with electroconvulsive therapy for schizophrenia.Schizophrenia research. Cognition · 2025Article
- Knowledge, attitudes, and willingness of bipolar disorder patients toward electroconvulsive therapy: a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- Variables associated with clinical outcomes and switching from unilateral to bitemporal electroconvulsive therapy: a retrospective study.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Article
- Role of stimulus dose on neuropsychological functioning after electroconvulsive therapy in patients with major depressive disorder.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2024Article
- The Neuroimaging Role of Modified Electroconvulsive Therapy in the Major Depressive Disorder: Effectiveness in First-Episode Antipsychotic-Naive Major Depressive Disorder Patients.Depression and anxiety · 2024Article
- Article
- Article
- Double-Blinded Randomized Pilot Clinical Trial Comparing Cognitive Side Effects of Standard Ultra-Brief Right Unilateral ECT to 0.5 A Low Amplitude Seizure Therapy (LAP-ST).Brain sciences · 2020Article
- Effects of Electroconvulsive Therapy on Depression and Its Potential Mechanism.Frontiers in psychology · 2020Review
- Brief vs. ultrabrief pulse ECT: focus on seizure quality.European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience · 2018Article
- Identifying Recipients of Electroconvulsive Therapy: Data From Privately Insured Americans.Psychiatric services (Washington, D.C.) · 2018Article
- Minimum Electric Field Exposure for Seizure Induction with Electroconvulsive Therapy and Magnetic Seizure Therapy.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2017Article
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issuedErratum.2016
Authors and funding
10 authors at 6 institutions in 1 country.
Colleen K LooSchool of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia (Drs Loo and Martin, Ms Katalinic, and Mr Hadzi-Pavlovic); St George Hospital and Wesley Hospital, Sydney, Australia (Dr Loo and Dr Simpson); Black Dog Institute, Sydney, Australia (Drs Loo and Martin, Ms Katalinic, and Mr Hadzi-Pavlovic); and Dr Simpson Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, and The Melbourne Clinic, Melbourne, Australia (Ms Smith and Addison, Mr Dowling, and Dr Schweitzer); Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia (Dr Ingram). colleen.loo@unsw.edu.au.
Natalie KatalinicSchool of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia (Drs Loo and Martin, Ms Katalinic, and Mr Hadzi-Pavlovic); St George Hospital and Wesley Hospital, Sydney, Australia (Dr Loo and Dr Simpson); Black Dog Institute, Sydney, Australia (Drs Loo and Martin, Ms Katalinic, and Mr Hadzi-Pavlovic); and Dr Simpson Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, and The Melbourne Clinic, Melbourne, Australia (Ms Smith and Addison, Mr Dowling, and Dr Schweitzer); Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia (Dr Ingram).
Deirdre J SmithSchool of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia (Drs Loo and Martin, Ms Katalinic, and Mr Hadzi-Pavlovic); St George Hospital and Wesley Hospital, Sydney, Australia (Dr Loo and Dr Simpson); Black Dog Institute, Sydney, Australia (Drs Loo and Martin, Ms Katalinic, and Mr Hadzi-Pavlovic); and Dr Simpson Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, and The Melbourne Clinic, Melbourne, Australia (Ms Smith and Addison, Mr Dowling, and Dr Schweitzer); Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia (Dr Ingram).
Anna IngramSchool of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia (Drs Loo and Martin, Ms Katalinic, and Mr Hadzi-Pavlovic); St George Hospital and Wesley Hospital, Sydney, Australia (Dr Loo and Dr Simpson); Black Dog Institute, Sydney, Australia (Drs Loo and Martin, Ms Katalinic, and Mr Hadzi-Pavlovic); and Dr Simpson Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, and The Melbourne Clinic, Melbourne, Australia (Ms Smith and Addison, Mr Dowling, and Dr Schweitzer); Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia (Dr Ingram).
Nathan DowlingSchool of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia (Drs Loo and Martin, Ms Katalinic, and Mr Hadzi-Pavlovic); St George Hospital and Wesley Hospital, Sydney, Australia (Dr Loo and Dr Simpson); Black Dog Institute, Sydney, Australia (Drs Loo and Martin, Ms Katalinic, and Mr Hadzi-Pavlovic); and Dr Simpson Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, and The Melbourne Clinic, Melbourne, Australia (Ms Smith and Addison, Mr Dowling, and Dr Schweitzer); Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia (Dr Ingram).
Donel MartinSchool of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia (Drs Loo and Martin, Ms Katalinic, and Mr Hadzi-Pavlovic); St George Hospital and Wesley Hospital, Sydney, Australia (Dr Loo and Dr Simpson); Black Dog Institute, Sydney, Australia (Drs Loo and Martin, Ms Katalinic, and Mr Hadzi-Pavlovic); and Dr Simpson Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, and The Melbourne Clinic, Melbourne, Australia (Ms Smith and Addison, Mr Dowling, and Dr Schweitzer); Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia (Dr Ingram).
Kerryn AddisonSchool of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia (Drs Loo and Martin, Ms Katalinic, and Mr Hadzi-Pavlovic); St George Hospital and Wesley Hospital, Sydney, Australia (Dr Loo and Dr Simpson); Black Dog Institute, Sydney, Australia (Drs Loo and Martin, Ms Katalinic, and Mr Hadzi-Pavlovic); and Dr Simpson Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, and The Melbourne Clinic, Melbourne, Australia (Ms Smith and Addison, Mr Dowling, and Dr Schweitzer); Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia (Dr Ingram).
Dusan Hadzi-PavlovicSchool of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia (Drs Loo and Martin, Ms Katalinic, and Mr Hadzi-Pavlovic); St George Hospital and Wesley Hospital, Sydney, Australia (Dr Loo and Dr Simpson); Black Dog Institute, Sydney, Australia (Drs Loo and Martin, Ms Katalinic, and Mr Hadzi-Pavlovic); and Dr Simpson Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, and The Melbourne Clinic, Melbourne, Australia (Ms Smith and Addison, Mr Dowling, and Dr Schweitzer); Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia (Dr Ingram).
Brett SimpsonSchool of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia (Drs Loo and Martin, Ms Katalinic, and Mr Hadzi-Pavlovic); St George Hospital and Wesley Hospital, Sydney, Australia (Dr Loo and Dr Simpson); Black Dog Institute, Sydney, Australia (Drs Loo and Martin, Ms Katalinic, and Mr Hadzi-Pavlovic); and Dr Simpson Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, and The Melbourne Clinic, Melbourne, Australia (Ms Smith and Addison, Mr Dowling, and Dr Schweitzer); Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia (Dr Ingram).
Isaac SchweitzerSchool of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia (Drs Loo and Martin, Ms Katalinic, and Mr Hadzi-Pavlovic); St George Hospital and Wesley Hospital, Sydney, Australia (Dr Loo and Dr Simpson); Black Dog Institute, Sydney, Australia (Drs Loo and Martin, Ms Katalinic, and Mr Hadzi-Pavlovic); and Dr Simpson Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, and The Melbourne Clinic, Melbourne, Australia (Ms Smith and Addison, Mr Dowling, and Dr Schweitzer); Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia (Dr Ingram).
UNSW Sydney · AUBlack Dog Institute · AUSt George Hospital · AUMelbourne Clinic · AUUniversity of Melbourne · AUWesley Hospital · AU
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSome studies suggest better overall outcomes when right unilateral electroconvulsive therapy (RUL ECT) is given with an ultrabrief, rather than brief, pulse width.
methodsThe aim of the study was to test if ultrabrief-pulse RUL ECT results in less cognitive side effects than brief- pulse RUL ECT, when given at doses which achieve comparable efficacy. One hundred and two participants were assigned to receive ultrabrief (at 8 times seizure threshold) or brief (at 5 times seizure threshold) pulse RUL ECT in a double-blind, randomized controlled trial. Blinded raters assessed mood and cognitive functioning over the ECT course.
resultsEfficacy outcomes were not found to be significantly different. The ultrabrief group showed less cognitive impairment immediately after a single session of ECT, and over the treatment course (autobiographical memory, orientation).
conclusionsIn summary, when ultrabrief RUL ECT was given at a higher dosage than brief RUL ECT (8 versus 5 times seizure threshold), efficacy was comparable while cognitive impairment was less.
Indexed as
AffectCognition DisordersDepressive DisorderDouble-Blind MethodElectroconvulsive TherapyFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNeuropsychological TestsPsychiatric Status Rating ScalesSeizuresTreatment Outcomecognitivedepressionelectroconvulsive therapypulse widthrandomized controlled trial
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
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Registered trials
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.