electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a psychiatric treatment that involves applying an electric current to the brain under general anesthesia, causing a controlled seizure. The purpose of ECT is to improve the symptoms of some severe mental health conditions, such as depression, mania or catatonia, when other treatments have not worked. ECT is not a cure, but it can provide short-term relief for some people. ECT is a controversial treatment because it is not fully understood how it works, and it can have side effects such as memory loss.
