Electroshock - Electroconvulsive Therapy

Although the electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was introduced nearly 70 years ago, the very mention of this therapy conjures frightening images and a negative emotional reaction. However, this form of treatment is much safer today compared to when it was introduced but the use of this therapy in treating depression and other related mental illness still remains controversial.

It has been accepted that in certain cases, the electroshock treatment can be the best option as it provides very fast and significant benefits. Like in the cases of severe depression where the risks of suicide are very high and anti-depressants are not working, this form of treatment can quickly alleviate the symptoms.

ECT is used to induce therapeutic clonic seizures wherein the person loses consciousness and has convulsions for a minimum of 15 seconds. This is induced by passing electrical currents through the brain that triggers the seizures. These seizures help increase the brain derived neurotrophic factor in patients who are resistant to drugs and are commonly recommended to patients who are suffering from severe depression which is accompanied with psychosis, refusal of food or intent of suicide. This acute form of therapy is also helpful to people whose mania has not improved with medications or people who suffer from Schizophrenia and the medicines are not helping sufficiently.

Electroconvulsive Therapy Machines

The modern day ECT machines have evolved a long way compared to the sine wave currents that were used initially be the ECT machines. Machines these days deliver only a brief pulse current that causes very few cognitive effects. Usually, the electrical stimulus is about 800 milliamps and the flow of current lasts between one to six seconds. These machines have been classified as Class III medical devices by the Food and Drug Administration authority.

Risks Associated with Electroconvulsive Therapy

There are several risks that are associated with the electroconvulsive therapy that you will have to weigh out carefully before agreeing for the procedure for your loved one or yourself. The risks are similar to the effects of brief general anesthesia. Here is a list of some of the risks:

• Memory Loss: A ECT can cause various types of memory loss. It can cause retrograde amnesia that is the patient will have trouble remembering events leading up to the electroshock session. Usually the patient will have trouble remembering events a couple of weeks old, but in some cases, the memory loss can extend for a period of more than 2 years. Further, in some cases, this condition is only temporary while in a few cases, the memory loss can be permanent.
• Cognitive Impairments: Immediately after the ECT, the patient may experience a brief period of confusion and will have no idea as to where and why they are at a particular place. This condition is known as cognition, meaning impairment of the thought process and can last for a few minutes or several hours. The more the number of ECT the patient undergoes, the longer will be the duration of these periods.
• Medical Complications: During the process of ECT, the heart rate and the blood pressure increases and this can lead to serious heart problems. It is therefore very important that the doctor undertakes the pre-ECT evaluation very seriously to avoid any complications that may arise due to ECT.
• Physical Problems: Immediately after the ECT, the patient may experience headache, jaw pain or muscle pain along with nausea and vomiting. This is very common and can be treated very effectively with the help of medicines.

It is not known for certain as to how effective the electroconvulsive therapy is to treat mental illness and severe depression but it is believed that many chemical aspects of the brain functions are altered during and after the seizure activity that the therapy causes. Researchers have put forward the theory that when ECT is used on a regular basis, the chemical changes reduce the symptoms of severe depression and other mental illness. This could be the reason as to why electroconvulsive therapy is most effective when used with other forms of treatments. It has been estimated that 80% of the people who have received a full course of ECT have been benefited from the same.