Clinical effects of nonconvulsive electrotherapy combined with mindfulness-based stress reduction and changes of serum inflammatory factors in depression.

Background: Depression is a common and serious psychological condition, which seriously affects individual well-being and functional ability. Traditional treatment methods include drug therapy and psychological counseling; however, these methods have different degrees of side effects and limitations. In recent years, nonconvulsive electrotherapy (NET) has attracted increasing attention as a noninvasive treatment method. However, the clinical efficacy and potential mechanism of NET on depression are still unclear. We hypothesized that NET has a positive clinical effect in the treatment of depression, and may have a regulatory effect on serum inflammatory factors during treatment.

Aim: To assess the effects of NET on depression and analyze changes in serum inflammatory factors.

Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 140 patients undergoing treatment for depression between May 2017 and June 2022, the observation group that received a combination of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and NET treatment ( = 70) and the control group that only received MBSR therapy ( = 70). The clinical effectiveness of the treatment was evaluated by assessing various factors, including the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD)-17, self-rating idea of suicide scale (SSIOS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and levels of serum inflammatory factors before and after 8 wk of treatment. The quality of life scores between the two groups were compared. Comparisons were made using and tests.

Results: After 8 wk of treatment, the observation group exhibited a 91.43% overall effectiveness rate which was higher than that of the control group which was 74.29% (64 52, = 7.241; < 0.05). The HAMD, SSIOS, and PSQI scores showed a significant decrease in both groups. Moreover, the observation group had lower scores than the control group (10.37 ± 2.04 14.02 ± 2.16, = 10.280; 1.67 ±0.28 0.87 ± 0.12, = 21.970; 5.29 ± 1.33 7.94 ± 1.35, = 11.700; both < 0.001). Additionally, there was a notable decrease in the IL-2, IL-1β, and IL-6 in both groups after treatment. Furthermore, the observation group exhibited superior serum inflammatory factors compared to the control group (70.12 ± 10.32 102.24 ± 20.21, = 11.840; 19.35 ± 2.46 22.27 ± 2.13, = 7.508; 32.25 ± 4.6 39.42 ± 4.23, = 9.565; both < 0.001). Moreover, the observation group exhibited significantly improved quality of life scores compared to the control group (Social function: 19.25 ± 2.76 16.23 ± 2.34; Emotions: 18.54 ± 2.83 12.28 ± 2.16; Environment: 18.49 ± 2.48 16.56 ± 3.44; Physical health: 19.53 ± 2.39 16.62 ± 3.46; both < 0.001) after treatment.

Conclusion: MBSR combined with NET effectively alleviates depression, lowers inflammation (IL-2, IL-1β, and IL-6), reduces suicidal thoughts, enhances sleep, and improves the quality of life of individuals with depression.