Should electroconvulsive therapy be more routinely used in the treatment of depression in elderly patients with cognitive disturbances?

摘要

The Central Institute of Mental Health is a reference center for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and we have extensive experience in the application of the procedure to geriatric patients with severe or drug treatment-resistant affective disorders and/or pre-existing cognitive impairment. This article will give a short update of current knowledge about the use of ECT in geriatric psychiatric patients and in particular in depressed patients with pre-existing cognitive disturbances. The practical intention is to deliver systematic information on the indications for ECT in clinical practice, with particular emphasis on its application in depressive patients with pre-existing cognitive impairment.