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Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is effective for patients with treatment-resistant depression, but its neural correlates remain obscure. Previous neuroimaging studies have yielded inconclusive results. Now, researchers have explored the question with a method that has superior resolution — resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), which can examine regional and long-range connectivity. The authors specifically measured fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF), which quantify local dynamic fluctuations in blood oxygen level–dependent signals (which correlate with regional glucose metabolism) across the whole brain.
The 16 patients had treatment-resistant, nonpsychotic, unipolar or bipolar (I or II) depre…