Electroconvulsive therapy

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a medical treatment that uses brief electrical stimulation under general anesthesia to induce a controlled seizure. It is used chiefly for severe mood disorders when rapid response is needed or other treatments have not worked.

General anesthesia: A medically induced, reversible state of unconsciousness that prevents awareness and pain during procedures. ECT uses brief general anesthesia so the induced seizure occurs without conscious experience.
Major depressive disorder: A mood disorder characterized by persistent depressed mood or loss of interest, alongside other symptoms and impairment. ECT is an established treatment option for severe or treatment-resistant depression.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation: A noninvasive technique that uses magnetic pulses to stimulate targeted brain regions without inducing a seizure. Unlike ECT, it generally requires no anesthesia and does not deliberately induce a seizure.
Anterograde amnesia: Difficulty forming new memories after a particular event or during a period of illness or treatment. Some people have short-term trouble retaining new information after an ECT course.
Neuromuscular blockade: Temporary suppression of skeletal-muscle movement, commonly produced by a medication during anesthesia. A muscle relaxant limits convulsions and reduces injury while the brain seizure proceeds.
Catatonia: A syndrome involving marked changes in movement, behavior, and responsiveness, associated with psychiatric and medical conditions. ECT can treat severe catatonia, including cases that do not respond to medication.
Vagus nerve stimulation: A treatment that delivers electrical impulses to the vagus nerve through an implanted device. It uses electrical stimulation for depression but targets a peripheral nerve rather than inducing a brain seizure.
Retrograde amnesia: Loss or disruption of memories formed before an event or period of illness or treatment. ECT can affect autobiographical memories from the period before treatment, with variable recovery.
Electrode placement: The positioning of electrodes on the scalp to deliver electrical stimulation to the brain. Bilateral and unilateral placements trade treatment speed against cognitive side effects.
Bipolar disorder: A mood disorder involving episodes of depression and mania or hypomania. ECT may be used for severe depressive or manic episodes in bipolar disorder.

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