hat electroconvulsive therapy or ECT is a procedure in which an electric current is passed through the brain to produce controlled convulsions or seizures. The procedure produces a massive neurochemical release in the brain due to the controlled seizure. In most cases, the procedure is given in the hospital under anesthesia so that people receiving it will not feel pain.
Abrams (2002: 50-72) states that, typically, patients undergo anywhere from six to ten treatments. Seizures last for 20 to 90 seconds and the patient is awake within five to ten minutes. The most common side effect is short-term memory loss, which is said to resolve after a relatively short period of time for most people. Further, after the initial course of treatment, ECT is considered safe for use on an outpatient basis.
Theory and History of the Intervention in Nursing
According to Charlton (1998: 609-611) and Charlton and Kavanau (2002: 24-27), there have been various theories proposed over the years as to why ECT works in the treatment of various psychotic disorders, most especially depression. These theories have been delineated and discussed by The Mental Health Foundation (2005: 1-2); they can be summarized as follows:
1. Neurotransmitter theory - The Mental Health Foundation (2005: 1) states that this theory proposes that ECT acts in much the same way as anti-depressant medication, which is to say that it changes the way brain receptors receive important mood-related chemicals.
2. Anti-Convulsant Theory - This theory conceptualizes ECT in terms of the effects of ECT-induced seizures in which ECT is said to teach the brain to resist seizures; this effort to resist these seizures is said to dampen abnormally brain circuits, stabilizing mood.
3. Neuroendocrine theory - According to the Mental Health Foundation (2005: 1), this theory states that ECT-induced seizure cause the hypothalamus to release chemicals, specifically a neuropeptide that...