Effect of electroconvulsive therapy on anhedonia in adults with major depressive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

J Affect DisordOct 31, 2026 (epub)
Clinical ResearchPsychiatry

Ryan Radmard, Kristoffer J Panganiban, Angela T H Kwan et al.

✦ AI-curated · Sources linked

In 30 seconds

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined changes in anhedonia among adults with major depressive disorder treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Eleven studies met the review criteria, and five contributed quantitative data. In pooled data from 132 participants, ECT was associated with improved anhedonia severity (standardized mean change ratio [SMC] = 1.02; 95% CI, 0.63-1.42). The evidence came from non-randomized pre-post designs, so the result indicates an association with improvement rather than establishing that ECT caused the change.

Key findings

  • Across 132 participants in five studies, ECT was associated with improved anhedonia severity (SMC = 1.02; 95% CI, 0.63-1.42).
  • Eleven studies were included in the systematic review; five provided quantitative data for meta-analysis.

Why it matters

Anhedonia can persist even when other depressive symptoms respond to treatment, making it a clinically relevant outcome in MDD. The pooled findings suggest that anhedonia may improve during ECT, but the limited, non-randomized evidence leaves uncertainty about the size and cause of that change. Measuring anhedonia directly may help clarify treatment outcomes.

What to keep in mind

Only five studies contributed to the meta-analysis, and their non-randomized pre-post designs limit causal interpretation.

Source

PubMed · PMID 42966408

Published in J Affect Disord. This summary was written by xxcode from the publication's abstract and metadata. It is not peer reviewed and is not a substitute for the original article. For clinical decisions, review the original publication.

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