The origins of electroconvulsive therapy: Prof. Bini's first report on ECT

In August 1939, at the 3rd International Neurological Congress in Copenhagen, Professor Lucio Bini reported on the first use of electricity to induce a seizure for therapeutic purposes in psychotic patients. At that time, the discovery of ECT amounted to a therapeutic revolution, helping millions of mentally ill patients and furthering the scientific understanding of several disorders. Although electricity had been used to treat several physical ailments and mental disorders, electricity, rather than the convulsive crisis, was considered therapeutic. In modern times von Meduna was the first to clearly recognize the therapeutic value of 'complete' seizures, but it was thanks to Cerletti's dedication to biological research and Bini's contribution that ECT became one of the most effective and safe treatments available. ECT remains a highly effective and safe treatment option and thousands of papers have been published on ECT since the original report by Bini. To celebrate this anniversary, we translated Prof. Bini's original report as an abstract presented in Copenhagen in 1939.