What is the history of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)?
The history of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in the United States is traced from its crude beginnings in 1940 to its emergence as a highly sophisticated and effective treatment for many severe psychiatric disorders.
How does electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) work for depression?
No one entirely understands how ECT works for depression, but there are many theories. ECT may cause changes in brain chemistry or repair changes to the brain caused by severe, chronic depression. Electroconvulsive therapy is a procedure that can help people with severe mental health conditions.
How does ECT work in the brain?
Electricity and the Brain. In ECT, a voltage is applied to two electrodes placed on the patient’s head. This voltage, as high as 460 volts, creates an electric field inside the patient’s skull.
Why choose Sibley for inpatient and outpatients?
Sibley also offers electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for outpatients when clinically indicated. In surveys conducted by the Washingtonian magazine, Sibley’s inpatient unit has consistently been among the top choices for psychiatric treatment in the Washington, D.C. region.
How is an ECT performed?
At the time of each treatment a patient is given general anesthesia and a muscle relaxant and electrodes are attached to the scalp at precise locations. The patient's brain is stimulated with a brief controlled series of electrical pulses. This causes a seizure within the brain that lasts for approximately a minute.
How does ECT work Youtube?
0:295:11ECT - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd behind the ears to monitor and record brainwaves. And seizure activity during the treatment anMoreAnd behind the ears to monitor and record brainwaves. And seizure activity during the treatment an anika tist meets with the patient to make sure they are fit for an anaesthetic.
How long does ECT procedure take?
How long is an ECT procedure? A single ECT session usually lasts one hour. This includes the time the patient will be in the treatment room (approximately 15-20 minutes) and the time spent in the recovery room (approximately 20-30 minutes).
Is electroconvulsive therapy ECT painful?
No, the ECT procedure isn't painful. ECT involves general anesthesia, which means you're asleep while the procedure is happening. After the procedure, you may have some side effects, such as headache, nausea or sore muscles, but these are all normal.
What happens in the brain during ECT treatment?
During ECT, a small amount of electrical current is passed through the brain while the patient is under general anesthesia. This current causes a seizure that affects the entire brain, including the parts that control mood, appetite, and sleep.
What does ECT feel like?
When you awaken, you may experience a period of disorientation lasting from a few minutes to several hours. Headaches, jaw pain, and muscle soreness may occur. ECT requires a series of treatments, often initiated two to three times a week for a few weeks and then the frequency is tapered down.
How do you prepare for ECT?
Before Your Procedure Because electroconvulsive therapy is performed under general anesthesia, you should not eat, drink, or smoke after midnight on the days of your treatments. Do not drink alcohol or use any illegal drugs over the course of the treatment.
What kind of anesthesia is used for ECT?
ECT involves using anesthesia plus neuromuscular blocking agents to alleviate its adverse effects. The two agents most commonly used in ECT anesthesia are methohexital and propofol. The ideal anesthetic agent should have a rapid onset of action and short recovery time.
Do they shave your head for ECT?
During surgery prep, you'll have your head shaved. You may be kept unconscious throughout brain surgery with general anesthesia or stay awake with a local anesthetic used on your scalp. A sturdy frame will hold your head to prevent movement during surgery.
How much memory do you lose with ECT?
Safety: among 7 studies that reported on memory loss, the rate of persistent or permanent memory loss after ECT ranged from 29% to 55%.
Can ECT damage the brain?
The review of literature and present evidence suggests that ECT has a demonstrable impact on the structure and function of the brain. However, there is a lack of evidence at present to suggest that ECT causes brain damage.
Does ECT erase memories?
One of the known side-effects of ECT is memory loss. According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, that memory loss is normally temporary, but some patients report severe and long-lasting memory losses after ECT. This study took advantage of this side-effect to see if it was possible to target specific memories.
Inpatient Services
Sibley Memorial Hospital’s inpatient Behavioral Health Program provides acute, short-term treatment for patients ages 18 and older in need of a safe, secure and therapeutic environment. The clinical treatment program is designed to return patients to their optimal levels of functioning as quickly as possible.
Outpatient Services
Sibley is one of very few providers in the area who offers the next generation of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy, known as deep TMS or dTMS. This therapy, given on an outpatient basis, is a powerful depression treatment for patients for whom medications are inappropriate or ineffective. Learn more about TMS at Sibley.
Contact Us
For more information about the psychiatry program, please contact social work at 202-660-7445.
What is ECT therapy?
ECT is a safe and effective treatment that involves passing a carefully controlled electrical current through a person’s brain to trigger a seizure — a rapid discharge of nerve impulses throughout the brain.
How many milliseconds does ECT take?
Historically, ECT has been administered with pulses that are one millisecond in width whereas recent studies have delivered ECT with pulses in the range of 0.25-0.37 milliseconds, which also triggers a seizure but more efficiently and with fewer cognitive side effects.
What is ECT used for?
Surgeon General all endorse ECT as a valuable tool in the treatment of certain psychiatric disorders, and major depression in particular.
Does Johns Hopkins have ECT?
Johns Hopkins now provides ECT treatment with ultra-brief pulses to reduce cognitive side-effects. Recent studies demonstrate that ECT delivered with ultra-brief pulses produces less memory loss and other cognitive side-effects than ECT delivered with standard pulses.
What is ECT treatment?
ECT is used as a method of treating those who have certain mental illnesses but have not been helped by other forms of treatment. In fact, the majority of our patients experience positive results within one or two treatments.
What is ECT therapy?
It was previously known as "electroshock therapy" or "shock therapy," due to the nature of how it works: by sending a brief electrical current to the brain. Now, ECT is endorsed by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the American Psychiatric Association (APA) as a proven form of stimulation therapy.
What are the benefits of ECT?
Our use of advanced ECT techniques and technologies allow for a gentler effect on memory than there was with older forms of ECT. This enables us to safely use ECT to treat many conditions, including: 1 Major depressive disorder —especially when experiencing resistance to medication, less than optimal results and psychotic depression 2 Bipolar disorder —including acute and severe mania, delirious mania or rapid-cycling mania 3 Schizophrenia disorder —specifically catatonic schizophrenia or psychosis that resists treatment with medication 4 Schizoaffective disorder —with failure to respond to medication and acute depressive or manic symptoms occurring with psychosis
Is it safe to take ECT?
Although this therapy is generally safe and our staff closely monitors your treatment, there are some risks associated with ECT. Over time, these side effects can subside and/or be treated with over-the-counter medicine. Some of these typically short-term side effects of ECT include: Amnesia. Confusion.
Is ECT a first line intervention?
ECT is also a valuable and effective first-line intervention in emergency situations. For example, it can quickly help patients who may be actively suicidal, psychotic, nutritionally compromised or catatonic.