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Related Concept Videos

Electroconvulsive Therapy01:30

Electroconvulsive Therapy

136
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...
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Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview01:24

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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...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 1, 2025

Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy
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Intercorrelation of physiological seizure parameters and hormonal changes in electroconvulsive therapy.

Elin Thörnblom1, Malin Gingnell1, Janet L Cunningham1

  • 1Department of Medical Sciences, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.

Nordic Journal of Psychiatry
|August 15, 2022
PubMed
Summary

Peak heart rate during electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) seizures correlates with prolactin increase, suggesting diencephalic seizure propagation. This finding supports using cardiovascular response to evaluate ECT seizure effectiveness.

Keywords:
Electroconvulsive therapycortisolepileptic seizureheart rateprolactin

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Endocrinology
  • Psychiatry

Background:

  • Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) effectiveness is linked to seizure propagation.
  • Physiological parameters can indicate seizure spread during ECT.
  • Prolactin and cortisol levels are potential biomarkers for ECT response.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the correlation between prolactin increase after ECT and clinical seizure parameters.
  • To examine the relationship between prolactin, peak heart rate, and seizure duration.
  • To assess cortisol increase as a proxy for peripheral stress response.

Main Methods:

  • 131 clinical ECT patients (18-85 years) were recruited.
  • Serum prolactin and cortisol measured pre- and post-ECT seizure.
  • Correlations analyzed between hormone levels and peak heart rate, EEG, and motor seizure duration.

Main Results:

  • Serum prolactin significantly increased post-ECT, correlating with peak heart rate, EEG, and motor seizure duration.
  • Peak heart rate positively correlated with both EEG and motor seizure duration.
  • Cortisol increase did not correlate with seizure parameters or prolactin.

Conclusions:

  • The correlation between peak heart rate and prolactin suggests diencephalic seizure propagation during ECT.
  • This relationship is independent of the peripheral endocrine stress response.
  • Monitoring cardiovascular response is valuable for evaluating ECT seizure propagation and effectiveness.