Electroconvulsive therapy increases circadian amplitude and lowers core body temperature in depressed subjects.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Non-randomized controlled before-and-after study with matched healthy controls
PubMed 9426883 · doi:10.1016/s0006-3223(97)00046-2
What was done
Core body temperature was continually monitored across three groups: 6 depressed patients evaluated before an electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) course, the same 6 patients evaluated after the ECT course, and 6 healthy, sex-matched controls of similar age.
What was found
The 24-hour temperature profile differed significantly in patients pre-ECT compared to post-ECT and healthy controls. Post-ECT patients and controls exhibited profiles similar to each other. Circadian temperature rhythm amplitude increased after ECT, and mean asleep and mean 24-hour temperatures were significantly higher in patients pre-ECT than post-ECT and controls. The abstract reports no numerical values, effect sizes, or p-values.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that ECT may reverse depression-associated circadian thermoregulatory abnormalities, mirroring effects seen with successful pharmacotherapy.
Limits
The sample size is very small (n = 6 patients and 6 controls). The abstract does not report specific numerical values, measures of variance, statistical tests, depression severity scores, or information on concurrent medications.
Cited by
- supports A published paper showed that successful electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) treatment for depression is accompanied by a reduction in patients' core body temperature.