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A new kind of electroconvulsive therapy – a treatment for depression – has fewer side effects and is an effective treatment for manic depression. Depression treatment centers throughout Britain and the United States are utilizing "shock" therapy as a treatment. Electric shock treatment involves a small electrical current sent through the brain. The goal is for the patient to have a seizure. Electric shock treatment was first introduced about 70 years ago after physicians discovered that some people with depression and epilepsy appeared to feel better after treatment. Psychiatrists insist that for the one third of people who do not respond to medication, ECT can prove to be an effective treatment. The Royal College of Psychiatrists in Britain say that trials comparing ECT with a placebo treatment continue to indicate that patients who had ECT were far more likely to recover, and their recovery time was shorter. The seizure induced by ECT is believed to help by triggering certain brain chemicals like serotonin. One theory is that severe depression is caused by a lack of serotonin. The induced seizure from ECT redirects the serotonin level. There is also research that suggests ECT can stimulate the growth of new blood vessels in targeted areas of the brain. Despite the benefits of ECT, its popularity faded after tricyclic drugs came on the market. These were followed by SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) like Prozac. ECT had adverse side effects, including confusion and disorientation after each treatment. Problems with short and long-term memory was also associated with ECT treatment. As a result, the use of ECT in Britain has more than halved over the past 30 years. The new form of ECT shows promise in reducing or eliminating the side effects. Researchers from Columbia University say that ECT with shorter currents will still result in a seizure but without the side effects. Patients need six to eight treatments, though as many as 12 might be needed. The Columbia University researchers found that remission rates were up to 73 percent with the new ECT treatments. A larger trial is in progress at the University of New South Wales in Australia. About 180 people are enrolled in the trial. Dr. Andrew Easton, chair of the Royal College Special Committee for ECT, said that "there is some evidence to show that ultra-brief pulses are effective, with fewer side effects. A recent study has shown that this is only achieved when the treatment is applied to one side of the brain, rather than both."
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