A comparison of brief and ultrabrief pulse stimuli in unilateral ECT.

A double-blind, randomized, comparative study of the therapeutic efficacy and side effects of unilateral electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) given with two different stimulus types was carried out in the Kuffner Sanatorium, Horni Berkovice, Czech Republic. Brief or ultrabrief pulse stimuli were used in 48 hospitalized patients, ages 17-61 years, diagnosed with either schizophrenia (n = 42) or major depression (n = 6). All patients received eight unilateral treatments each.