Background: Clinical and neuropsychological evidence indicates impaired memory and high cortical function activity after ECT in patients with major depressive disorder.Objective: The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of unilateral electroconvulsive therapy) ECT) on memory and cognitive performance of women with major depressive disorder after 3 years’ fallow- up.

Method: In a post-event comparative causal design, the performance of 30 female patients with major depressive disorder based on clinical interview and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) using memory and neuropsychological tests before and after ECT in multiple stages during 3 years’ fallow- up period, compared with performance of another group of female patients with major depressive disorder who were on medication alone. Two group were matched in terms of age, sex, educational status, not suffering from acute physical disease and other criteria considered in this research. The results of quantitative and qualitative evaluation of memory and cognitive processes in the two experimental and control groups showed a significant difference between them in numerical memory, logical memory, memory quotient, verbal auditory learning and other cognitive processes and high cortical functions. Memory and cognitive performance of experimental group decreased significantly at all stages after the ECT and even 3 years after in some of the high cortical function subscales (P

Dr. Najmeh is a distinguished academic based in Ahvaz, Iran, affiliated with Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz. With a strong background in her field, she is actively engaged in academic and research initiatives