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

1.6K
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...
1.6K
Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview01:24

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview

1.5K
Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease marked by recurrent, unpredictable seizures. These seizures are caused by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain, leading to behavior, sensation, or consciousness alterations. They can also cause transient impairment of awareness, interfering with daily activities.
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...
1.5K
Psychosis: Goals of Pharmacotherapy01:26

Psychosis: Goals of Pharmacotherapy

645
Antipsychotic drugs are a crucial treatment method for acute and chronic psychoses, bipolar illness, and behavioral disorders. The selection of these drugs depends on several factors, including the state of the disease, clinical judgment, possible drug interactions, and the patient's sensitivity to adverse effects. In immediate scenarios, such as delirium and dementia, short-term treatment with low doses of high-potency typical or atypical agents can effectively manage symptom exacerbation.
645
Seizures: Classification01:13

Seizures: Classification

1.9K
Epilepsy is primarily characterized by unpredictable seizures, either provoked by an identifiable factor, such as injury or illness, or unprovoked, occurring spontaneously without apparent cause.
Seizures are typically classified into two main categories: focal and generalized seizures.
Focal Seizures
Focal seizures originate from specific regions of the brain. These seizures are further sub-classified into two types:
1.9K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Kynurenine pathway profiles as markers of ketamine response in treatment-resistant depression.

Brain, behavior, and immunity·2026
Same author

Baseline inflammatory profiles in moderate-to-severe depression and differential response to intermittent theta-burst stimulation.

Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry·2026
Same author

Electroconvulsive therapy in Germany: a nationwide multilevel analysis of determinants, regional patterns, and institutional variation.

European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience·2026
Same author

A unified voice for evidence-based psychiatry: a global response to the WHO guidance on ECT.

European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience·2026
Same author

Just a caffeine-blocker? Questioning new proposed core mechanisms of ECT.

Brain stimulation·2026
Same author

Joint statement by the World Psychiatric Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the European Psychiatric Association, and the Global Expert Task Force on ECT on the portrayal of electroconvulsive therapy in the WHO Guidance on Mental Health Policy and Strategic Action Plans.

The lancet. Psychiatry·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 6, 2026

Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy
04:51

Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy

Published on: April 11, 2019

10.6K

Electroconvulsive therapy against the patients' will: A case series.

Isabel Methfessel1, Alexander Sartorius2, David Zilles1

  • 1a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , University Medical Center Göttingen , Göttingen , Germany.

The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry : the Official Journal of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry
|March 17, 2017
PubMed
Summary

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is effective for severe mental illness, even when administered against a patient's will. This case series shows good outcomes and restored capacity in most patients, justifying its use in critical situations.

Keywords:
Electroconvulsive therapyconsentethicslegal incapacity

More Related Videos

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
Chronic Transcranial Electrical Stimulation and Intracortical Recording in Rats
10:51

Chronic Transcranial Electrical Stimulation and Intracortical Recording in Rats

Published on: May 11, 2018

9.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 6, 2026

Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy
04:51

Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy

Published on: April 11, 2019

10.6K
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
Chronic Transcranial Electrical Stimulation and Intracortical Recording in Rats
10:51

Chronic Transcranial Electrical Stimulation and Intracortical Recording in Rats

Published on: May 11, 2018

9.3K

Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry
  • Neurology
  • Clinical Medicine

Background:

  • Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a highly effective treatment for severe depressive and psychotic disorders.
  • Treatment may be administered without patient consent due to legal incapacity or lack of insight.
  • Limited evidence exists regarding ECT's efficacy and safety when administered against a patient's non-autonomous will.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the effectiveness, tolerability, and patient perspectives of ECT administered against the will of patients.
  • To evaluate the outcomes of ECT in severely ill patients lacking capacity to consent.

Main Methods:

  • A case series of eight patients receiving ECT against their will was conducted in two German university hospitals (2014-2016).
  • Effectiveness was assessed using the Clinical Global Impression Scale.
  • Tolerability and patient perspectives were documented.

Main Results:

  • Seven out of eight patients showed significant improvement (much or very much improved) on the Clinical Global Impression Scale.
  • Capacity to consent was restored in seven patients post-treatment.
  • Transient side effects occurred in four patients, and seven patients agreed to continue ECT.

Conclusions:

  • ECT can be effectively and safely administered to severely ill, non-consenting patients, even against their will.
  • The potential benefits, including life-saving effects, must be weighed against moderate, transient side effects.
  • Retrospective patient appraisal supports the use of ECT in cases of severe mental illness and legal incapacity.