Electroconvulsive
therapy
(ECT) was first considered by Dr. Ugo Cerletti
in 1938. He was observing how pigs where electrocuted
into unconsciousness, in order to make it less
difficult for workers in a slaughterhouse to slit
their throats, when he started to consider electronic
shocks as a treatment for mental illnesses in
human beings.
ECT
is normally given as a series of six to twelve
treatments over a period of two weeks. In order
to relax the muscles to prevent broken bones and
cracked vertebrae, the patient is at each session
given an intravenous of succinylcholine. A rubber
block is placed inside the mouth in order to protect
the teeth and to avoid biting of the tongue. Two
electrodes are then connected to the cranium and
used to apply an electronic shock of between 70
to 400 volts, generating between approximately
14 and 640 watts of power, in a pulse ranging
from a few milliseconds to several seconds.
No
conclusive evidence has been offered as to why
ECT is an effective treatment for mental illnesses.
The current theories include the development of
seizure resistance within the brain and development
of selective brain damages. More than 100,000
people are every year undergoing ECT, and it has
been used to treat conditions such as: depression,
mania, schizophrenia, homosexuality and terrorism.
