Effects of electroconvulsive therapy on regional cerebral blood flow measured by 99mtechnetium HMPAO SPECT

Decreased cerebral blood flow is documented in depression. In this study, 15 patients were studied with Tc-99m-HMPAO SPECT before and after a course of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Improvement in frontal and temporal hypoperfusion was seen only in those patients who responded to ECT. Cerebral hypoperfusion may be a state-dependent marker in depressive illness. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.