Cerebral Hemispheres 2
NEUROSCIENTIFICALLY CHALLENGED

NEUROSCIENCE MADE SIMPLER

Improving Electroconvulsive Therapy


Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is thought by many in the general public to be a brutal and inhumane form of treatment. This perception likely has a number of causes, including improper use and administration in its earlier days, its depiction as a method of torture in fictional accounts like that found in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and perhaps even as a backlash against invasive psychological procedures, which may have grown out of the disastrous frontal lobotomy experiments.

The truth, however, is that when ECT is applied properly, it can be an effective form of treatment for those who suffer from severe depression. At times it may be the only form of treatment (besides talk therapy) for a subsection of this group who don’t respond to antidepressant drugs. The exact mechanism by which it works is poorly understand, although there are indications it may prompt production of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in patients who don’t gain this beneficial effect from drugs. (See my post here for more info on the importance of BDNF levels in depression.)

ECT is not without its side effects, however. Even when administered appropriately, it can result in retrograde and/or anterograde amnesia. Other cognitive problems (e.g. disorientation) have also been noted. In most cases, these side effects clear up fairly quickly after treatment. Occasionally they are found to linger for weeks or even months, though—enough to make one hesitant to use, or agree to undergo, an ECT treatment.

A group of scientists from Columbia University, however, have just released a report detailing a form of ECT that not only has higher rates of effectiveness than standard ECT, but also results in less cognitive side effects. The group used a different form of electrical pulse called an “ultrabrief pulse”, and compared the outcome to the use of traditional ECT in a group of 90 depressed patients. The ultrabrief pulse lasts about 0.3 milliseconds compared to the traditional 1.5 milliseconds.

Of the 90 patients, 73% responded to the ultrabrief pulse, compared to 65% who responded to the standard form of ECT. More importantly, the group who received the ultrabrief pulse reported less severe cognitive side effects than the traditional group. They were monitored for a full year after treatment.

This may be promising news for severely depressed patients. If ECT can be administered with lower rates of concomitant cognitive dysfunction, it may become a more viable alternative for those who don’t respond to today's antidepressants. Another important step in the use of ECT, however, is to be able to fully understand why it works—something that has yet to be elucidated.

YOUR BRAIN, EXPLAINED

Sleep. Memory. Pleasure. Fear. Language. We experience these things every day, but how do our brains create them? Your Brain, Explained is a personal tour around your gray matter. Building on neuroscientist Marc Dingman’s popular YouTube series, 2-Minute Neuroscience, this is a friendly, engaging introduction to the human brain and its quirks using real-life examples and Dingman’s own, hand-drawn illustrations.

  • ...a highly readable and accessible introduction to the operation of the brain and current issues in neuroscience... a wonderful introduction to the field. - Frank Amthor, PhD, Professor of Psychology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, author, Neuroscience for Dummies

  • Dingman weaves classic studies with modern research into easily digestible sections, to provide an excellent primer on the rapidly advancing field of neuroscience. - Moheb Costandi, author, Neuroplasticity and 50 Human Brain Ideas You Really Need to Know

  • Reading like a collection of detective stories, Your Brain, Explained combines classic cases in the history of neurology with findings stemming from the latest techniques used to probe the brain’s secrets. - Stanley Finger, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University (St. Louis), author, Origins of Neuroscience

  • An informative, accessible and engaging book for anyone who has even the slightest interest in how the brain works, but doesn’t know where to begin. - Dean Burnett, PhD, author, Happy Brain and Idiot Brain

BIZARRE

This book shows a whole other side of how brains work by examining the most unusual behavior to emerge from the human brain. In it, you'll meet a woman who is afraid to take a shower because she fears her body will slip down the drain, a man who is convinced he is a cat, a woman who compulsively snacks on cigarette ashes, and many other unusual cases. As uncommon as they are, each of these cases has something important to teach us about everyday brain function.

  • Through case studies of both exceptional people as well as those with disorders, Bizarre takes us on a fascinating journey in which we learn more about what is going on in our skull. - William J. Ray, PhD, Emeritus Professor of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, author, Abnormal Psychology

  • Bizarre is a collection of stories of how the brain can create zombies, cult members, extra limbs, instant musicians, and overnight accents, to name a few of the mind-scratching cases. After reading this book, you will walk away with a greater appreciation for this bizarre organ. If you are a fan of Oliver Sacks' books, you're certain to be a fan of Dingman's Bizarre. - Allison M. Wilck, PhD, Researcher and Assistant Professor of Psychology, Eastern Mennonite University

  • Dingman brings the history of neuroscience back to life and weaves in contemporary ideas seamlessly. Readers will come along for the ride of a really interesting read and accidentally learn some neuroscience along the way. - Erin Kirschmann, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology & Counseling, Immaculata University

  • A unique combination of storytelling and scientific explanation that appeals to the brain novice, the trained neuroscientist, and everyone in between. Dingman explores some of the most fascinating and mysterious expressions of human behavior in a style that is case study, dramatic novel, and introductory textbook all rolled into one. - Alison Kreisler, PhD, Neuroscience Instructor, California State University, San Marcos