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Related Concept Videos

Electroconvulsive Therapy01:30

Electroconvulsive Therapy

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), or shock therapy, remains a critical biomedical intervention for severe, treatment-resistant depression. While its origins can be traced back to Hippocrates' observations that malaria-induced convulsions alleviated mental illness, modern ECT has evolved significantly from its earlier, more primitive applications. First introduced in 1938 by Ugo Cerletti and his colleagues, ECT involves inducing controlled seizures using electrical currents. In its early years,...
Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview01:24

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease marked by recurrent, unpredictable seizures. These seizures are caused by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain, leading to behavior, sensation, or consciousness alterations. They can also cause transient impairment of awareness, interfering with daily activities.
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...
Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators01:20

Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators

Ezocgabine or retigabine, an antiepileptic drug of remarkable efficacy, has revolutionized the management of seizures. It is a potassium channel activator, explicitly targeting the family of Q subtype potassium channels. It enhances the transmembrane potassium currents, regulating neuronal excitability. This action stabilizes the resting membrane potential, a pivotal factor in mitigating the hyperexcitability that characterizes epilepsy.
Ezogabine has gained approval as an adjunctive treatment...
Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein01:20

Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein

Antiepileptic drugs, such as levetiracetam (Keppra) and brivaracetam (Briviact), have emerged as crucial tools in managing epilepsy. These medications exert their therapeutic effects by targeting the synaptic vesicle protein SV2A, a transmembrane glycoprotein primarily found in the brain.
SV2A is a transmembrane glycoprotein located predominantly in the brain, modulating the release of neurotransmitters for neuronal communication. Both levetiracetam and brivaracetam exhibit a high affinity for...
Antiepileptic Drugs: Calcium Channel Blockers01:17

Antiepileptic Drugs: Calcium Channel Blockers

Calcium channel blockers, a class of antiepileptic drugs, regulate the flow of calcium ions within neurons.
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Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators01:18

Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators

γ-aminobutyric acid or GABA, plays a pivotal role as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. GABA pathway potentiators, also known as GABAergic drugs, are a class of pharmaceutical agents designed to enhance the functioning of the GABAergic system. These medications primarily treat epilepsy, a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures.
The key GABA pathway potentiators used in epilepsy management are as follows.
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Prognostic Factors for Postictal Agitation After Electroconvulsive Therapy in Older Adults With Depression.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Electroconvulsive Seizures in Rats and Fractionation of Their Hippocampi to Examine Seizure-induced Changes in Postsynaptic Density Proteins
09:07

Electroconvulsive Seizures in Rats and Fractionation of Their Hippocampi to Examine Seizure-induced Changes in Postsynaptic Density Proteins

Published on: August 15, 2017

Anticonvulsants during electroconvulsive therapy: review and recommendations.

Pascal Sienaert1, Joseph Peuskens

  • 1Electroconvulsive Therapy Department and Department of Mood Disorders, University Psychiatric Center-Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Campus Kortenberg, Leuvensesteenweg, Kortenberg, Belgium. pascal.sienaert@uc-kortenberg.be

The Journal of ECT
|June 6, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can be safely used with anticonvulsant drugs (AC). However, current evidence does not support combining ECT and AC to enhance treatment effectiveness for psychiatric conditions.

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Electroconvulsive Seizures in Rats and Fractionation of Their Hippocampi to Examine Seizure-induced Changes in Postsynaptic Density Proteins
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Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy
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Published on: May 16, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology
  • Psychiatry

Background:

  • Concurrent use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and anticonvulsant drugs (AC) is common in clinical practice.
  • Limited evidence exists regarding the safety and efficacy of this combination.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review existing literature on the concurrent use of ECT and AC.
  • To provide clinical practice recommendations for managing patients receiving both treatments.

Main Methods:

  • A comprehensive literature search was conducted using MEDLINE (1985-2006) and manual searches of relevant guidelines and textbooks.
  • Keywords included "electroconvulsive therapy," "anticonvulsants," and specific drug names like "carbamazepine" and "valproate."

Main Results:

  • No prospective, randomized controlled trials on the AC-ECT combination have been published.
  • Existing data primarily consist of case reports, with no severe adverse effects reported beyond occasional seizure induction difficulties.
  • ECT appears safe and effective in patients treated with various AC.

Conclusions:

  • Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can be safely administered to patients concurrently treated with anticonvulsant drugs (AC).
  • There is currently no evidence to suggest that combining ECT and AC enhances therapeutic efficacy.
  • Further research, particularly randomized controlled trials, is needed to fully elucidate the combined effects.