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Electroconvulsive Therapy

Electroconvulsive Therapy

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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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 5, 2025

Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy

Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy

Published on: April 11, 2019

Temperatures and Voltages From the Electroconvulsive Therapy Stimulus.

Conrad Swartz, David Mirkovich¹, Dominik Dietze²

¹From the Somatics LLC, Venice, FL.

The Journal of ECT

|March 29, 2023

Summary

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) does not cause extreme brain voltage or temperature changes. Mathematical models and thermography show minimal temperature increases and low voltage gradients during ECT, debunking blast-like misconceptions.

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Published on: August 15, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Aug 5, 2025

Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy

Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy

Published on: April 11, 2019

Transcranial Electrical Brain Stimulation in Alert Rodents

Transcranial Electrical Brain Stimulation in Alert Rodents

Published on: November 2, 2017

Electroconvulsive Seizures in Rats and Fractionation of Their Hippocampi to Examine Seizure-induced Changes in Postsynaptic Density Proteins

Electroconvulsive Seizures in Rats and Fractionation of Their Hippocampi to Examine Seizure-induced Changes in Postsynaptic Density Proteins

Published on: August 15, 2017

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Biophysics

Background:

Brain voltage and temperature during electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) are poorly understood.
Common misconceptions portray ECT as causing blast-like effects on the brain.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate and clarify brain voltage and temperature dynamics during ECT.
To provide accurate data countering common misconceptions about ECT's physiological impact.

Main Methods:

Developed basic mathematical structural models for brain voltage and temperature during ECT.
Performed calculations based on these models.
Recorded thermographic images of pork shoulder before and after ECT stimuli application.

Main Results:

Structural voltage models indicate a ~6 mV voltage drop across neurons with a 0.6 V/cm gradient, significantly less than action potentials.
Temperature models show a maximum 1°C skin temperature increase under electrodes, with less within the brain.
Observed average temperature increases of 0.70–0.94°C at each electrode.

Conclusions:

Brain voltage gradients and temperatures during ECT are within normal physiological ranges.
Results support that only a small fraction of the electrical stimulus penetrates the brain during ECT.