Find effective treatments for depression

Recently, scientists at the University of Aberdeen (Scotland) claim they have found effective treatment for depression.

It is an electrical impulse treatment, also called electrosurgery therapy (ECT) , which stimulates the electroencephalogram, affecting different brain regions.

'We believe we have solved the question for 70 years , ' said psychiatrist Ian Reid.

ECT therapy uses electrodes placed on
forehead, creating a seizure that lasts 30-60 seconds.

ECT was first used in the 1930s, by placing electrodes on the forehead and bringing electric current through the brain, creating a seizure that lasted 30-60 seconds. At that time, patients were not anesthetized and had to use high electrical levels.

Today, this therapy has become safer when patients are anesthetized with controlled electricity. However, the treatment process can cause side effects such as short-term memory loss and sometimes heart problems.

ECT is one of the most effective methods in psychiatry, 75 - 85% of patients show signs of recovery, Reid said.

In the new study, scientists conducted brain scans of nine depressed patients (before and after they applied ECT) using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

All of these patients had previously failed to treat antidepressants but were successful with ECT.

However, how electrical stimulation leads to changes in brain connectivity is still a question scientists are trying to answer. In addition, they have not figured out why ECT is so much better than antidepressants.