Electroconvulsive therapy related autobiographical amnesia: a review and case report.

Introduction

While short-term cognitive impairment following electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is well described and acknowledged, the relationship between ECT and persistent memory impairment, particularly of autobiographical memory, has been controversial.

Methods

We describe the case of a 70-year-old consultant neurophysiologist, AW, who developed prominent, selective autobiographical memory loss following two courses of ECT for treatment-resistant depression.

Results

His performance on standard measures of IQ, semantic and episodic memory, executive function and mood was normal, while he performed significantly below controls on measures of episodic autobiographical memory.

Conclusions

Explanations in terms of mood-related memory loss and somatoform disorder appear unlikely. We relate AW's autobiographical memory impairment, following his ECT, to reports of similar autobiographical memory impairment occurring in the context of epilepsy, and emphasise the importance of using sensitive approaches to AbM assessment.