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A procedure in which electrical current is administered via scalp electrodes to induce a brief seizure. Originally introduced in the 1930s, ECT is now used primarily to treat severe depression, and less frequently for mania or catatonia that is refractory to medication. Treatments are given under light anesthesia, with a usual course of 6–12 treatments given two or three times a week. In addition to the risks of anesthesia, the major adverse effect is memory loss, which can be mitigated by electrode placement.
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© 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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Price, L.H. (2010). Electroconvulsive Therapy. In: Stolerman, I.P. (eds) Encyclopedia of Psychopharmacology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-68706-1_720
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-68706-1_720
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-68698-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-68706-1
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