[di meliora]

The author tells us:

While "shock therapy" has been used in psychiatry for more than 70 years, researchers had little idea how the controversial treatment worked to treat depression. Now, scientists say they may have solved the mystery.

The therapy, which provides electrical stimulation to the brain and is extremely effective in treating severe depression, appears to affect how brain areas communicate with each other. It relieves "over-communication" in the brain that may make it difficult for people with depression to think and concentrate, said study researcher Jennifer Perrin, a mental health researcher at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland.

"We believe we’ve solved a 70-year-old therapeutic riddle," said study researcher Ian Reid, a psychiatrist at the university.

By understanding how the treatment, properly known today as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), works, researchers may one day be able to replace it with something that has a lower risk of side effects, but is just as effective, Perrin said. However, such a replacement treatment is a long way off, she said. http://vitals.msnbc.msn.com/_news/20...o-being-solved

While solving mysteries is a useful step, I doubt a replacement treatment will be available in my lifetime. Even so, progress in understanding is good.

[madisgram]

one area i've am hopeful for is deep brain stimulation, DBS. called brain "pacemakers".
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...1102121624.htm
i've witnessed patients after ECT. while it does help some i feel there are too many negative results to support it.

[PiperLeigh]

I was recently reading about a therapy some insurance is starting to cover called TMS Therapy that uses magnetic pulses on areas of the brain instead of electric shock. You can remain awake during the treatment and the early indicators are it may be helpful for folks with severe depression. It will be interesting to see if long-term studies shows if it is a good alternative to ECT or not.

[di meliora]

http://www.dana.org/media/detail.aspx?id=35782

[Anneinside]

Originally Posted by PiperLeigh

I was recently reading about a therapy some insurance is starting to cover called TMS Therapy that uses magnetic pulses on areas of the brain instead of electric shock. You can remain awake during the treatment and the early indicators are it may be helpful for folks with severe depression. It will be interesting to see if long-term studies shows if it is a good alternative to ECT or not.

I just read a study that said TMS effects remain only a few weeks. Wish I could remember the source.

[nicoleb2]

I had ECT, will NEVER NEVER do it again. It didn't help and it caused major long and short term memory issues