Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

Electroconvulsive therapy is a useful treatment option for patients with severe depression refractory to medication (e.g. catatonia) those with psychotic symptoms. The only absolute contraindications is raised intracranial pressure.

Short-term side-effects

• headache
• nausea
• short term memory impairment
• memory loss of events prior to ECT
• cardiac arrhythmia

Long-term side-effects

• some patients report impaired memory