Comparison between the effect of liothyronine and piracetam on personal information, orientation and mental control in patients under treatment with ECT.

Objective: The study aimed to compare the effect of liothyronine and piracetam on three subscales of the Wechsler memory test on patients under treatment with ECT.

Materials And Methods: In a double blind clinical trial, 60 of 99 patients between 20 and 45 years old, under treatment with ECT were studied in three groups. Patients in the allocation groups received liothyronine, piracetam, or placebo, from the first session of ECT until 1 month after the last session of ECT. Personal information, orientation, and mental control were tested in the participants at first, fourth, and last session of ECT and 1 month after the last session of ECT. Data were analyzed with Repeated measure ANOVA using SPSS 13.

Results: There wasn't any significant difference among three groups in demographic characteristics before the study and number of ECT sessions (P=0.684). After intervention, a significant difference in memory scores was seen in third and fourth assessment sessions (0.002). Orientation subscales showed a significant difference among four assessment sessions (P=0.001). Personal information and mental control never decreased in the liothyronine group. There was no significant difference among three studied groups in personal information, orientation, and mental control (P>0.05).

Conclusion: Memory changes due to ECT may be limited to some parts of memory like orientation. More powerful studies for comparison between the effect of liothyronine and placebo are necessary.