Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can be an effective form of treatment for individuals suffering from severe depression and other mental health conditions, particularly when other forms of therapy such as medications and psychotherapy have failed.
Modern electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) differs significantly from what was depicted in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and uses less electric stimulation, and can even be performed under anesthesia to ensure safety and speedy relief from anxiety symptoms.
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is a noninvasive procedure that utilizes an electromagnetic coil to stimulate brain areas involved with mood regulation. Unlike electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), which may lead to seizures, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation does not lead to significant side effects and has been FDA-approved as treatment for treatment-resistant depression, OCD, migraines and helping individuals stop smoking.
For rTMS therapy, you typically sit or recline while your physician applies a coil to your scalp and generates a magnetic field similar to that produced by an MRI scanner. When this field changes rapidly, small electrical currents are generated in your brain that affect neurons and neural circuits in ways that alter how mood is controlled.
This treatment may take from 30-60 minutes in either a clinic or doctor’s office and should produce an unpleasant tapping or tingling sensation on your scalp, though with subsequent sessions the sensation should begin to lessen and eventually go away altogether. Some patients may experience dizziness during or shortly after treatment sessions, however this usually passes quickly.
rTMS uses much lower magnetic pulses than those used in ECT, meaning there is much less of a risk for seizure-like activity. However, rTMS may not be appropriate if you have had seizures in the past or cannot tolerate anesthesia; pregnancy and breastfeeding mothers should also not receive rTMS treatments as pregnant or breastfeeding women may not tolerate them well enough for safe results.
Studies on rTMS have produced promising results in treating depression and other conditions resistant to standard therapies; however, further investigation must be conducted into its long-term safety and effectiveness. Furthermore, it must be remembered that rTMS does not directly treat its cause but should instead be combined with medications and psychotherapy as part of a holistic solution plan.
Your doctor will discuss all available rTMS protocols with you to select one that’s most suited to your symptoms and situation. Common side effects from rTMS therapy may include scalp discomfort or temporary headaches; confusion and difficulty remembering things; however most of these side effects tend to be mild and temporary whereas more serious reactions could potentially arise for certain individuals.
Vagus nerve stimulator (VNS)
VNS therapy is an alternative to electroconvulsive therapy for people suffering from depression, bipolar disorder, or unipolar depression. It’s a non-invasive wireless neurostimulation device that uses electrical stimulation to target and alter the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is one of 12 pairs of cranial nerves which transmit electrical impulses between your brain and various parts of the neck, head, and torso; its job is to pass information from body parts back into your mind that helps control things such as appetite and heart rate regulation.
Doctors don’t yet fully understand how it works, but they think the vagus nerve sends information to an area of your brain which controls seizures. Once activated, an electric current passes through it stimulating part of your vagus nerve to stimulate an area in your brain while interrupting abnormal electrical activity in your mind and changing how your brain releases chemicals, potentially reducing seizure activity or even preventing further episodes in future.
If you have epilepsy, your doctor will advise whether VNS is right for you. In some cases, such as anticonvulsants, you might need to discontinue taking certain medications prior to receiving the procedure. Your physician will discuss your health history and allergies as part of this assessment process before placing a small implant on the left side of your chest consisting of two parts – lead and generator. Battery powered lead lasts five-10 years while generator sends mild electric current through it to send current through lead.
The generator converts electrical impulses from your vagus nerve into an audio signal that travels via wire to a small electronic box called a pulse generator, where they’re broadcast directly into your brain via wires. These pulses may help calm and relax you as well as reduce seizures; in case of seizure attacks, using magnets may trigger extra bursts of electrical pulses that might help stop it altogether.
ECT
ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) is an older form of treatment that uses electric currents to induce brief seizure-like events in the brain. It’s typically used to address severe depression that has not responded to other methods, including antidepressants or psychotherapy; additionally, it’s often effective at stopping manic episodes or treating schizophrenia.
Under general anesthesia in a hospital operating room, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) procedures involve placing small electrode pads the size of a silver dollar on your scalp and applying medication that renders you unconscious; at that point a professional monitors your heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and movement – and although no pain occurs during sessions you may become groggy afterwards as it resets neurons and chemicals within your brain resetting neurons and chemicals at an unprecedented speed – however its exact mechanisms remain unknown but its results have shown to change rapidly your chemistry!
Though electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be beneficial to some, it’s not appropriate for everyone. With its long and controversial history – including early procedures that were done without anesthetic and led to serious side effects – ECT is still not recommended for people suffering seizures, heart problems or pregnancy as it could potentially have negative impacts on memory as well as cause severe side effects.
Once ECT has dramatically reduced your depressive symptoms, further treatment will likely be necessary to avoid relapse. This may involve taking medications alongside cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or counselling – depending on your treatment goals, preferences and tolerance level.
No one knows for certain exactly how ECT helps treat depression, but it appears to work by altering brain chemistry. Furthermore, studies have demonstrated its superior effectiveness compared to other treatments, such as medication used to manage bipolar disorder manic phases or cognitive behavioral therapy for depression. Furthermore, ECT may benefit people who do not respond well to other therapies and risk harming themselves or others; those suffering from catatonia, which prevents eating or drinking and leads to serious injury or dehydration benefit significantly from receiving treatment through ECT as well.
