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Efficacy & Tolerability of Rigth Unilateral vs. Bitemporal ECT in Schizophrenia in a Psychiatric Hospital in Mexico

NCT06972745 · Status: TERMINATED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 17

Last updated 2025-05-15

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an established treatment for medication-resistant schizophrenia. There is debate about the best method of electrode placement. Bitemporal (BT) placement is commonly used for schizophrenia, while right unilateral (RUL) placement in mood disorders is associated with fewer adverse effects on memory and language. This study compares the efficacy, safety and cognitive effects of BT-ECT versus RUL-ECT in hospitalized schizophrenia patients with acute psychosis.

Main Question: Does RUL-ECT reduce psychotic symptoms with fewer cognitive effects versus BT-ECT in patients with severe schizophrenia? Hypothesis: RUL-ECT is as effective as BT-ECT in reducing psychotic symptoms with fewer cognitive effects.

Methods: Randomized trial in patients with schizophrenia (confirmed by DSM 5 criteria) and severe symptoms (PANSS score ≥60). Patients were assigned to receive BT-ECT or RUL-ECT. Efficacy was measured by a ≥30% reduction in symptom severity on the PANSS scale and overall improvement measured with the Clinical Global Impression scale. Cognitive function was assessed with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS) scales.

Conditions

  • Schizophrenia Disorders

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Ultrabrief pulse electroconvulsive therapy

Therapeutic seizure induction with pulse unidirectional electric charge through the right hemisphere, using ultrabrief pulses (≤0.3 ms).

PROCEDURE

Brief pulse Electroconvulsive therapy

Therapeutic seizure induction with pulse unidirectional electric charge through the temporal hemisferes, using brief pulses (≥0.5 ms).

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Hospital Psiquiátrico Fray Bernardino Álvarez

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2023-03-16
Primary Completion
2024-10-16
Completion
2024-11-16

Countries

  • Mexico

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT06972745 on ClinicalTrials.gov