Electroconvulsive Therapy Research Paper

During the 18th and 19th century, it became well known that chemicals such as camphor can induce seizures to help with mental illness.1 In 1934, a Hungarian psychiatrist, Ladislaw Meduna, empirically pursued his theory on the relationship between seizures and schizophrenia using camphor oil. He wanted to see if he could cure a patient with catatonic schizophrenia by inducing epilepsy in the patient through injecting the patient with the camphor oil. After several of these treatment sessions, the patient was reportedly in full recovery of the condition. Around 1938, an Italian scientist, Ugo Cerletti successfully attempted the use of electricity instead to induce a therapeutic seizure in a delusional patient. Once again, after several treatments it was reported that the patient had significant improvements of his condition and thus electroconvulsive therapy began.1,2 Today, electroconvulsive therapy is mainly used for the treatment of severe depressive disorders, especially major depressive disorder. 1,2 According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5,3 sufferers of major depressive disorder have experienced several symptoms of daily depressed mood, low interest and pleasure in activities, weight loss or gain, sleeping problems, slowness and fatigue, feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness, difficulty concentrating, and suicidal thoughts every day for at least a two week time period.
adults suffer from major depression causing severe disabilities for the individuals.1 This paper will explore the clinical use of Electroconvulsive therapy for depression through identifying and understanding the possible therapeutic as well as adverse cognitive effects of the