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Updated: May 16, 2026
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
[Will electroconvulsive therapy disappear in the near future?].
1Department of Neuropsychiatry, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering, University of Yamanashi.
Seishin Shinkeigaku Zasshi = Psychiatria Et Neurologia Japonica
|December 14, 2012
Summary
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is used for severe mental disorders, but safety concerns persist in Japan. Research into ECT
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
Context:
- Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a vital treatment for refractory mental disorders.
- In Japan, brief-pulse ECT was approved in 2002, mandating modified ECT and trained psychiatrists.
- Despite regulations, unmodified ECT is still prevalent in Japan, raising safety concerns.
Purpose:
- To review the current status of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in Japan.
- To highlight safety concerns and the need for improved ECT practices.
- To discuss the neurobiological mechanisms of ECT and alternative brain stimulation techniques.
Summary:
- Major indications for ECT include depression and catatonia.
- The neurogenesis hypothesis is a promising area for understanding ECT mechanisms.
- Alternative brain stimulation techniques like TMS, VNS, DBS, and tDCS are being introduced for mental disorders.
Impact:
- There is a critical need to enhance the safety of ECT procedures.
- Further research is required to elucidate ECT's mechanisms of action.
- Ethical guidelines are essential for the advancement of brain stimulation techniques in mental health treatment.
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