Describe the procedures involved in ECT and its effects

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

ANSWER:
?Although still highly controversial, ECT today consists of a series of treatments, usually performed in a hospital, in which electrical current is passed through the brain, causing a seizure. After administration of anesthesia and a muscle relaxant, metal electrodes are placed on the head of the now unconscious patient. A current of 70–130 volts is passed through one side of the brain for roughly one-half second. A seizure occurs, causing the patient to have muscle tremors for about 1 minute. Violent convulsions do not occur because of the ad- ministration of the muscle relaxant prior to the procedure. The patient undergoes this procedure about every other day for 6–12 sessions. It is a quick and painless medical procedure.
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ECT is not the first treatment for depression, but rather a last resort. It is administered to patients who are depressed and are not responding to psychotherapy or drug therapy and remain in a severely depressed state. These patients may be suicidal or even psychotic. For these patients, ECT may be the only form of treatment that is effective (Nemeroff, 2007).
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ECT is effective for people who are severely depressed, and it is very effective in treating psychotic depression (Damm et al., 2010; Gaynes et al., 2011; Kellner et al., 2010; Merkl, Heuser, & Bajbouj, 2009; Ren et al., 2014). It also relieves depression faster than drug therapy. Most patients improve within a few days. It is not currently understood how ECT lifts depression. It is speculated that the seizure may alter the functioning of specific brain structures, of neurotransmitters in the brain, or both (Abbott et al., 2014; S. M. Taylor, 2008; Yatham et al., 2010). Identifying the precise effect of shock on all brain functions is rather like finding a needle in a haystack, but research continues to investigate the effect of ECT on depression.
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ECT does have its drawbacks. It can lead to cognitive impairments, such as memory loss, learning difficulties, or disturbances in verbal abilities. A second concern in using ECT is the high relapse rate. Many ECT patients relapse into depression. Such relapses may occur as soon as 4 months after treatment. Thus, the effects of ECT seem to be short-lived (Swartz, 1995). Despite ECT’s short-term effectiveness, these concerns—as well as people’s fears about administering electrical shock to the brain—continue to make ECT a very controversial treatment approach.