Laroy M, Bouckaert F, Vansteelandt K, et al. - Researchers investigated the predictive value of hippocampal volume change (HVC) following electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for the change in memory performance six months after the end of the ECT treatment. High-resolution 3D T1-weighted images from 88 patients with late-life depression were assessed within 1 week before and after ECT for determining hippocampal volume (HV). Assessment of memory performance was done before and six months after ECT. The whole sample displayed less pronounced improvement on the VAT (visual memory) in correlation with larger right absolute HVC. Only patients who switched from right unilateral to bitemporal stimulation after six ECT sessions showed influences on the 8-Word Test (verbal memory), Category Fluency Test (semantic memory), and MMSE. They observed no significant relation of absolute HVC in the left hemisphere with cognitive change. These findings suggest less improvement in memory performance up to 6 months post-ECT in correlation with larger absolute change in right HV during ECT.