Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Electroconvulsive Therapy01:30

Electroconvulsive Therapy

1.9K
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...
1.9K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

International Position Paper on Outcome Selection After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

Stroke·2026
Same author

Inflammatory biomarkers as predictors for unlocking antidepressant efficacy: Assessing predictive value and risk stratification in major depressive disorder in a prospective longitudinal study.

Journal of affective disorders·2025
Same author

Peripheral inflammatory and metabolic markers as potential biomarkers in treatment-resistant schizophrenia: Insights from a Qatari Cohort.

Psychiatry research·2024
Same author

What to Measure in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage Research-An International Delphi Survey.

Translational stroke research·2024
Same author

Outbreak of Human Trichinellosis - Arizona, Minnesota, and South Dakota, 2022.

Canada communicable disease report = Releve des maladies transmissibles au Canada·2024
Same author

Outbreak of Human Trichinellosis - Arizona, Minnesota, and South Dakota, 2022.

MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report·2024
Same journal

Successful Use of Electroconvulsive Therapy in Treatment-Resistant Catatonia With Comorbid Parkinson Disease and Neuroborreliosis: A Case Report.

The journal of ECT·2026
Same journal

Electroconvulsive Therapy in Movement Disorders: A Systematic Review.

The journal of ECT·2026
Same journal

Presyncope During Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation With Treatment Continuation.

The journal of ECT·2026
Same journal

Comparison of Electroconvulsive Therapy Seizure Outcomes When Using Methohexital Versus Propofol: A Brief Retrospective Report.

The journal of ECT·2026
Same journal

Changes in the Use of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Therapy Between 2016 and 2022 in Northern Finland.

The journal of ECT·2026
Same journal

Evaluation of Cardiac Adverse Effects After Transition From Bitemporal to Bifrontal ECT.

The journal of ECT·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 21, 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

12.7K

Differences in Cognitive Outcomes After ECT Depending on BDNF and COMT Polymorphisms.

Daniel Mark Bennett1, James Currie, Gordon Fernie

  • 1From the Division of Applied Medicine (Psychiatry), University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.

The Journal of ECT
|May 19, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Genetic variations in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) did not significantly impact cognitive or mood outcomes following electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). These genetic factors are unlikely to predict patient responses to ECT treatment.

More Related Videos

Randomized, Triple-Blind, and Parallel-Controlled Trial of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Cognitive Rehabilitation after Stroke
08:53

Randomized, Triple-Blind, and Parallel-Controlled Trial of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Cognitive Rehabilitation after Stroke

Published on: June 6, 2025

2.0K
Individualized rTMS Treatment for Depression using an fMRI-Based Targeting Method
07:12

Individualized rTMS Treatment for Depression using an fMRI-Based Targeting Method

Published on: August 2, 2021

4.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 21, 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

12.7K
Randomized, Triple-Blind, and Parallel-Controlled Trial of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Cognitive Rehabilitation after Stroke
08:53

Randomized, Triple-Blind, and Parallel-Controlled Trial of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Cognitive Rehabilitation after Stroke

Published on: June 6, 2025

2.0K
Individualized rTMS Treatment for Depression using an fMRI-Based Targeting Method
07:12

Individualized rTMS Treatment for Depression using an fMRI-Based Targeting Method

Published on: August 2, 2021

4.3K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective treatment for severe depression.
  • Cognitive side effects are a concern with ECT.
  • Genetic factors may influence individual responses to ECT.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene polymorphisms and cognitive outcomes after ECT.
  • To determine if specific BDNF and COMT variants predict mood and cognitive changes during and after ECT.

Main Methods:

  • 87 patients undergoing ECT were assessed for cognitive function and mood.
  • Cognitive tests included the Spatial Recognition Memory task and Mini-Mental State Examination.
  • Mood was rated using the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale.
  • Statistical analyses included Student t tests and generalized least squares random effects models.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences in cognitive or mood outcomes were observed between different BDNF (val/met) or COMT variants.
  • These findings remained consistent throughout ECT treatment and up to 3 months post-treatment.

Conclusions:

  • The studied BDNF and COMT polymorphisms do not appear to influence cognitive or mood outcomes following ECT.
  • These genetic markers are unlikely to be useful in predicting ECT's cognitive effects in clinical practice.