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Electroconvulsive Therapy

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,...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 6, 2026

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

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

Published on: August 15, 2017

Electroconvulsive therapy in a patient with multiple sclerosis and recurrent catatonia.

Theodote K Pontikes¹, Stephen H Dinwiddie

¹Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60637-1470, USA.

The Journal of ECT

|December 15, 2010

Summary

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) offers a safe and effective treatment for catatonia in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. This case study shows successful ECT use for both acute episodes and maintenance in an MS patient.

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Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy

Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy

Published on: April 11, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 6, 2026

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

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

Published on: August 15, 2017

Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy

Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy

Published on: April 11, 2019

Area of Science:

Neurology
Psychiatry

Background:

Catatonia is an uncommon but serious complication of multiple sclerosis (MS).
Effective treatment options for catatonia in MS are limited.

Observation:

A 28-year-old inpatient with MS developed a catatonic syndrome.
The patient experienced a subsequent relapse of catatonia.

Findings:

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was successfully used to treat the initial catatonic episode.
ECT also effectively managed a subsequent relapse of catatonia in the MS patient.
Maintenance ECT was administered for 13 months without complications, and follow-up showed no neurological deterioration.

Implications:

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be a safe and effective therapeutic option for managing catatonia in multiple sclerosis (MS).
This case highlights the potential of ECT as a long-term treatment strategy for recurrent catatonia in MS patients.
Further research into ECT for MS-related catatonia is warranted.