This study analyzes the frontotemporal and nasopharyngeal spectral energy of an ECT-induced seizure, in order to investigate the origin of the final Phase III activity, which contains most of the seizure's energy. Data supports these findings: (1) energy in the delta frequency band is responsible for the generation, propagation, and maintenance of Phase III of the ECT-induced seizure; (2) the synchronous “delta-firing” depolarizations of Phase III are recurrently initiated by an ECT-induced “generator” process; (3) higher magnitudes of energy are generated centrally than are generated laterally during Phase III; and (4) the lessened memory impairment associated with nondominant unilateral ECT is attributable to the markedly lower peak and total energies observed in the unstimulated temporal lobe.
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2.
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13.
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14.
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15.
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16.
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17.
DanielW.F., WeinerR.D., and CrovitzH.F., Autobiographical amnesia with ECT: An analysis of the roles of stimulus wave form, electrode placement, stimulus energy, and seizure length, Biol. Psychiatry, 18:121–126, 1983.
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20.
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21.
HallidayA.M., DavisonK., BrowneM.W., and KreegerL.C., A comparison of the effects on depression and memory of bilateral ECT and unilateral ECT to the dominant and non-dominant hemispheres, Brit. J. Psychiatry, 114:997–1012,1968.
22.
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23.
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24.
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25.
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26.
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27.
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28.
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29.
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