Effect of ECT-anesthetics on reorientation time.

Cohort studyEuropean archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience· Sep 2026

Effect of ECT-anesthetics on reorientation time.

Franziska Putschögl, Anton Deicher, Sophia Hermann … Alexander Sartorius

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Neurostimulation & InterventionalCohort studyQ1IF 4.5

Propofol is associated with shorter reorientation time after electroconvulsive therapy than S-ketamine in a retrospective analysis.

Effect of ECT-anesthetics on reorientation time.

Franziska Putschögl … Alexander Sartorius

European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience · Sep 2026 · Q1 in Psychiatry

Background

Electroconvulsive therapy (electroconvulsive therapy) remains one of the most effective treatments in psychiatry, but cognitive side effects still pose a clinical concern.

Methods

Retrospective data from 5148 electroconvulsive therapy sessions were analyzed using a linear mixed-effects model controlling for age, sex, diagnosis, stimulation dose, electrode placement, seizure quality, electroconvulsive therapy session number, need for restimulation, electroconvulsive therapy duration, and postictal agitation.

n = 5148 ECT sessions

Results

shorter post-electroconvulsive therapy reorientation with propofol than with S-ketamine, after adjusting for covariates

6.2min

Propofol vs S-ketamine

1.5min

S-ketamine + propofol

More results

Despite its clear clinical and operational relevance, comparative evidence on anesthetic effects remains scarce.

Neither thiopental nor etomidate differed significantly from S-ketamine.

The differences may be attributed to the distinct pharmacodynamic profiles of the anesthetic agents.

“

Conclusion

The findings demonstrate that anesthetic choice is a significant and independent determinant of reorientation time following electroconvulsive therapy, with propofol and the combination of S-ketamine and propofol associated with markedly faster cognitive recovery compared to S-ketamine.

Effect of ECT-anesthetics on reorientation time.

Effect of ECT-anesthetics on reorientation time.

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