ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy)

What is ECT?

Electroconvulsive therapy (or ECT) is the most effective treatment for depression and may be helpful for other select disorders. ECT involves applying a small amount of electricity to the brain to induce a controlled and therapeutic seizure. This treatment may work by “resetting” the brain, much like rebooting a computer, and rapidly improves depression and other symptoms for most patients.

ECT is not as seen in the movies or TV shows. With modern ECT, patients are very briefly under general anesthesia and given muscle relaxants, so they are asleep and their muscles are fully relaxed during the treatment session. Patients are monitored carefully throughout the entire process. The short video below demonstrates an actual ECT session at UCLA:

An ECT course is comprised of two phases. In the first or index phase, ECT treatment sessions are typically scheduled two to three times per week for two to four weeks, or between 6 to 12 sessions, with the possibility of additional treatments if needed to reach the fullest response. At completion of this first phase, most patients will have ECT tapered at one treatment a week for 4 weeks. In the second or maintenance phase, additional ECT treatments at a reduced frequency may be recommended to help maintain improvement.

Patients can receive ECT in the outpatient setting or while admitted to the hospital. Please note that patients cannot drive during the initial phase of ECT treatments and cannot resume driving until two weeks or more have passed between treatment sessions.

What are the benefits and risks of ECT?

ECT is a safe and highly effective treatment. Overall, depending on individual factors, about 70-90% of patients with depression will benefit significantly from ECT treatment. ECT can reduce symptoms of depression after just the first few treatment sessions.

ECT may work well for patients who have not responded to medication and/or talk therapy. ECT also may work for older patients, patients with psychotic depression, and patients with other severe psychiatric disorders.

ECT has an excellent track record of safety. The most common side effects are headaches, muscle or jaw soreness, and nausea or vomiting. ECT can cause temporary and reversible confusion and memory difficulty, which generally resolves in about two weeks after finishing intensive treatment. Some patients may report lasting memory loss, which usually affects personal memories rather than general knowledge. However, loss of important personal knowledge or sense of identity is not a side effect of ECT. For many patients, depression or side effects from some types of medications can cause worse cognitive impairment than ECT. For patients whose illness gets better, ECT may actually improve cognition.

Learn more about ECT

You can learn more about ECT here or here, or ask your psychiatrist if ECT might be right for you. Please reach out to us to learn more about ECT at UCLA.

Why choose UCLA?

• UCLA has the largest ECT program on the West Coast and is one of most respected in the nation, with decades of experience.
• UCLA has a dedicated ECT service, including psychiatrists, anesthesiologists, and nurses, and provides care to some of the most complex and ill patients.
• All ECT Attending Physicians at UCLA have undergone additional training and are experts in the field.
• Our state-of-the-art ECT suite is conveniently located within the Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital.