Describe the Procedure of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT),including Its History,perceptions of It

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- Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)involves passing an electrical current through the brain in order to induce a temporary seizure.This procedure was introduced in the 1930s and has been viewed negatively for much of its history,in part because in its early days it was generally unsafe and easily abused.
- Many people believe that ECT causes lasting cognitive impairments,but the majority of research on people who have been treated with it suggests that this is not true.
- ECT techniques have improved dramatically in recent years.Patients' experiences are much less negative;they are now given sedatives and muscle relaxants to reduce the discomfort they may experience and to prevent injury related to the convulsions.
- ECT is now considered a relatively safe procedure,although it is still reserved for the most severe cases of disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder.Side effects typically consist of some amnesia for events occurring around the time of the treatment.
- Neuroimaging research suggests that ECT might alter how different brain areas work together as networks.These changes are most pronounced in the frontal lobes.ECT may alter the patient's tendency to habitually engage in negative thoughts,thereby disrupting the dysfunctional thinking patterns that are characteristic of depression.

Describe the Procedure of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT),including Its History,perceptions of It

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