title: The present use of electroconvulsive therapy.
abstract: Physicians attempting to treat certain severe mental disorders have recently shown renewed interest in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). A number of technical innovations have made ECT safer, as well as more effective. These innovations include oxygenation, muscular relaxation, unilateral nondominant electrode placement, use of brief-pulse stimuli, titrated stimulus dosing, electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring, determination of seizure adequacy, and pharmacologic enhancement of treatment response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27707.
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Weiner
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Krystal
mesh_terms: D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D004569:Electroencephalography; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D012640:Seizures / Q000503:physiopathology