Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an efficient treatment for several neuropsychiatric disorders; however a large number of patients develop memory impairment after ECT. Different studies both on animals and human suggest that vasopressin has positive effects on memory and improves cognitive functions. In this randomized, double-blind controlled clinical trial, 50 patients with psychiatric disorders who were candidate for ECT were studied. In the control group (20 patients) who received normal saline, ECT resulted in impairment in several aspects of memory such as: immediate memory, short term memory, visual memory, associate learning and memory quality. The sub-scores for most of the sub-fractional aspects of memory by WMS tests were decreased significantly by the 2nd and the 3rd tests (p<0.001 for most of the measured parameters).
In the case group (30 patients), each patient received 60 μg/day (in 3 doses) desmopressin as intranasal spray; during the ECT treatment most of the measured parameters were increased significantly by the 2nd and the 3rd WMS tests. There were significant differences between the two groups for most memory scores (p<0.0001). The data demonstrate that desmopressin has protective and facilitating effects on memory impairment after ECT. Therefore, we conclude that desmopressin may be effective in the prevention of memory disorders by facilitating effects on memory and learning processes and may be used in patients who receive ECT for neuropsychiatric disorders.
