Key result
ECT improves depressive symptoms across all ages, with greater benefit in patients over 60.
Why the study?
This study aimed to compare symptomatic improvement in patients with major depressive disorder across different age groups following electroconvulsive therapy to support more precise and personalized treatment plans.
Does electroconvulsive therapy improve depressive symptoms differently across age groups in patients with major depressive disorder?
Meta-Analysis (n=1,617)
Does electroconvulsive therapy improve depressive symptoms differently across age groups in patients with major depressive disorder?
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
ECT demonstrates therapeutic effects across all age groups of patients with MDD, with older patients (>60 years) potentially benefiting more in terms of depressive symptom improvement.
Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) has become one of the diseases that seriously affects the quality of life and social function of patients. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an important method for treating mental disorders. This study aims to conduct a comparison of symptomatic improvement in patients with MDD across different age groups following ECT, thereby providing more precise and personalized treatment plans. Methods: PubMed, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang, and other databases were searched for related studies from self-built databases until February 2025. The retrieved studies were then subjected to a meta-analysis using R software. Based on the assessment of heterogeneity across studies, either a fixed-effect model or a random-effect model was selected for data synthesis. Results: A total of 15 eligible articles were included in this meta-analysis, involving 1617 patients with MDD. The results indicated ECT could reduce the scores of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD), Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA). Additionally, it could increase the scores of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). However, no statistical significance was observed on the subscales of the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS). Subgroup analysis and meta-regression revealed that the older patients (>60 years old) may benefit more significantly in improving depressive symptoms (HAMD and MADRS) and WMS recognition memory. No significant age-related differences are observed in HAMA, MMSE, or other WMS subtests. Conclusions: ECT demonstrates therapeutic effects across all age groups of patients with MDD. The older group seemed to benefit more from this treatment modality compared to other age groups. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the differential effects of ECT in patients with MDD of different ages, which may guide clinical decision-making.
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Tam et al. (2026) conducted a meta-analysis in Major depressive disorder (MDD) (n=1,617). Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) vs. Different age groups was evaluated on Symptomatic improvement (HAMD, MADRS, HAMA, MMSE, and WMS scores). Electroconvulsive therapy improved depressive symptoms across all ages, with older patients (>60 years) benefiting more significantly in HAMD, MADRS, and WMS recognition memory scores.
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