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Interestingly, as in many widely used treatments in medicine,
we do not know exactly how ECT achieves its effectiveness.
It is known that the benefits of ECT depend on producing
a seizure in the brain and on technical factors in how
the seizure is produced. Biologic changes that result
from the seizure are critical to effectiveness. Most
investigators believe that specific changes produced
by ECT in chemicals that regulate your emotions are
the key to restoring normal function. Considerable research
is being conducted to isolate the critical biochemical
processes.
ECT is given as a course of treatments, with the total
number varying from patient to patient. For depression,
the typical range is from 6 to 12 treatments, but some
patients may require fewer or more.
ECT is extremely effective in providing relief from
psychiatric symptoms. However, permanent cures for psychiatric
illness are rare, regardless of the treatment given.
To prevent relapse after ECT, most patients require
further treatment with medications or with maintenance
ECT. If ECT is used to protect against relapse, it is
usually administered on a weekly or monthly basis.
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An
Overview of ECT
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