Research on electroconvulsive therapy in India: An overview

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Medical Research

Background:

• Indian researchers have a substantial publication record in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
• Over 250 papers on ECT by Indian authors have been published in the last 50 years.
• Approximately 50% of these publications appeared in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize and analyze the body of research on electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) published in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry.
• To identify key research themes and trends in Indian ECT contributions over the past five decades.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and summary of published articles on ECT from the Indian Journal of Psychiatry.
• Categorization of research based on focus: efficacy, procedural refinement, neurobiology, and long-term follow-up.

Main Results:

• The majority of published articles focus on establishing the efficacy of ECT across various psychiatric disorders.
• Significant contributions include refinements in ECT procedures, such as anesthetic modifications, ECT machine improvements, and electroencephalogram (EEG) monitoring.
• Research on the neurobiology of ECT and long-term follow-up of patients receiving ECT constitutes a smaller portion of the published work.

Conclusions:

• Indian contributions to ECT research are extensive, with a strong emphasis on clinical efficacy and procedural advancements.
• Despite a global decline in ECT use, publications from India in this field have shown an increasing trend in recent decades.
• Further research may benefit from increased focus on neurobiological mechanisms and long-term outcomes of ECT.