Home › Research › Treatments
Rivastigmine treatment for the prevention of electroconvulsive therapy-induced memory deficits in patients with schizophrenia
Stryjer R, Ophir D, Bar F, Spivak B, Weizman A, Strous RD.. Clinical neuropharmacology, 2012-07-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective strategy in some treatment-resistant patients with schizophrenia. However, ECT is associated with cognitive adverse effects, most notably, memory loss. This study examined the effects of rivastigmine, a selective central nervous system acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, with benefits on cognition in Alzheimer disease, on memory performance in patients with schizophrenia treated with ECT. Thirty inpatients with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision schizophrenia treated with ECT were coadministered rivastigmine (3-4.5 mg/d) or placebo in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (maximum period of 4 weeks). Over the ECT course, scores on the cognitive subscale of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment in subjects receiving placebo showed no significant change, whereas subjects receiving rivastigmine displayed decreased cognitive subscale of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment scores, indicating cognitive improvement (P < 0.05). Findings suggest possible involvement of the acetylcholinergic system in mediation of cognitive deficits after ECT and indicate possible beneficial effects of rivastigmine coadministration in minimizing some of these ECT-induced cognitive impairments.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Stryjer, R., Ophir, D., Bar, F., Spivak, B., Weizman, A., & Strous, R. D. (2012). Rivastigmine treatment for the prevention of electroconvulsive therapy-induced memory deficits in patients with schizophrenia. Clinical neuropharmacology. https://doi.org/10.1097/wnf.0b013e31825e7945
Vancouver
Stryjer R, Ophir D, Bar F, Spivak B, Weizman A, Strous RD. Rivastigmine treatment for the prevention of electroconvulsive therapy-induced memory deficits in patients with schizophrenia. Clinical neuropharmacology. 2012. doi:10.1097/wnf.0b013e31825e7945. PMID: 22751086.
BibTeX
@article{stryjer2012-22751086,
author = {Stryjer, R. and Ophir, D. and Bar, F. and Spivak, B. and Weizman, A. and Strous, R. D.},
title = {{Rivastigmine treatment for the prevention of electroconvulsive therapy-induced memory deficits in patients with schizophrenia}},
journal = {Clinical neuropharmacology},
year = {2012},
doi = {10.1097/wnf.0b013e31825e7945},
pmid = {22751086},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1097/wnf.0b013e31825e7945}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- However, ECT is associated with cognitive adverse effects, most notably, memory loss.
- Over the ECT course, scores on the cognitive subscale of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment in subjects receiving placebo showed no significant change, whereas subjects receiving rivastigmine displayed decreased cognitive subscale of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment scores, indicating cognitive improvement (P < 0.05).
Why it matters
In 30 patients with schizophrenia receiving electroconvulsive therapy, adding rivastigmine was linked to improved cognitive scores compared with placebo. This concerns memory side effects of ECT in schizophrenia, not the treatment or prevention of Alzheimer's disease itself.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Treatments →
Study details
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 53/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a randomized controlled trial. Scored zero for sample size and effect reported because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Clinical neuropharmacology) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Clinical Neuropharmacology: journal h-index 106 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 11 / 12 | A randomized controlled trial (from PubMed type “Randomized Controlled Trial”) |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2012 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (pubmed indexes it as a clinical or observational study) |
| Randomized / blinded | 2 / 2 | Randomized and blinded or placebo-controlled (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 3 / 7 | Cited 18 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.1 citations a year over 16 year(s) since 2012 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 3 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Rael D. Strous: h-index 47 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Tel Aviv University: institution h-index 1,018 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 22751086) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 53 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription Unpaywall, Europe PMC and OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 10 Oct 2026), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
Related
Studies in the library that share something with this one. The line above each title says what.
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.
Related studies in Treatments
Also tagged “trial”
783 studies in the library carry the topic tag “trial”; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed, alphabetical-by-hash tour of them, not the closest in content. All 783 tagged studies.