Electroshock Therapy for Depression, does it work?
Victoria Rivera
PSY 240-40 Spring 2025
CSU Dominguez Hills
Professor Vieira
Understanding the Science and Ethics Behind the treatment
The background
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a important topic when it comes to modern
psychology due to its ability to reflect how one's treatment of mental health has evolved through scientific research and while advancing medically. Unlike approaches earlier in which were less controlled , ECT represents a more refined, biologically based method of a way to treat a individual with severe depression. Matter of fact it is widely recognized as “one of the most effective treatments for severe depression” (Jelovac & McLoughlin, 2026), shedding light to its importance in worlds such as psychology and neuroscience. An individual diagnosed with depression can also be recognized as someone with a biological disorder, as you can find in modern textbooks explaining how “depression is a mood (affective) disorder” (Shapiro, 2024, Ch. 15), reinforcing how treatments such as ECT can target underlying brain function rather than just emotional symptoms.
What is ECT?
ECT or Electroconvulsive Therapy is a procedure where a small electrical current passes through your brain in order to trigger a intentional seizure. Although this can sound concerning, these kinds of procedures tend to be done carefully regulated and performed in a safe medical setting. Allowing it to help reset activity of the brain all while reducing severe depressive symptoms.
Research shows that “ECT is highly effective… especially for patients with treatment resistance” (Deng et al., 2024), which is why it is often considered in being used in critical cases where as rapid improvement is necessary.This process reflects on how brain activity can be directly altered in which it helps connect to neuroscience concepts which help explain how electrical activity influences neuron communication and signaling (Shapiro, 2024, Ch. 3).
How ECT Affects the Brain
ECT works by directly influencing the brain’s biological systems, those particularly involved in mood regulation and emotional processing. It has the ability to increase the levels of key neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which can be often imbalanced in certain people, such as people diagnosed with depression. In addition to that ECT helps promote neuroplasticity which then allows the brain to be able to form new set of neural connections all while improving that communication between critical regions such as the prefrontal cortex and limbic system. Research states that “ECT alters brain function and neural activity associated with depression” (Deng et al., 2024), showing how the treatment addresses the underlying neurological causes rather than only relieving surface-level symptoms.
This can relate to neuron communication, as the textbook explains how neurotransmitters are responsible for transmitting signals between neurons, and changes in these chemicals that can then directly affect our mood and behavior (Shapiro, 2024, Ch. 3).
Effectiveness of ECT
One of the main reasons ECT remains to be widely used is due to the fact of its high level of effectiveness, compared to any other treatments. Alternatives such as antidepressant medications, can take up to several weeks to be able to show any signs of improvement, While on the other hand, ECT often produces faster and more noticeable results. This alone makes ECT especially more valuable for people who require that immediate relief from severe depressive symptoms that can affect their day to day lives. Studies show that “ECT has been shown to have an overall response rate of 82%–90% for treating psychotic depression” (Kelkar et al., 2025, p. 1), which happens to be significantly higher than many other alternative treatments such as antidepressants. And so because of this, ECT is a lot more often considered a life-saving intervention when it comes to critical ] situations and because depression happens to include disruptions in one's brain activity and neurotransmitter systems, highly effective treatments such as ECT can help restore more normal patterns of neural functioning (Shapiro, 2024, Ch. 15).
Is ECT Ethical?
The ethics of Electroconvulsive Therapy have long been debated, largely due to the fact of its historical use in which is portrayed cruel in media. However, in modern times, ECT is considered to be ethical, especially when it is conducted under strict medical guidelines, such as making sure that patients are provided with informed consent, meaning these said individuals can be able to fully understand both the risks and benefits before undergoing the actual treatment. That said procedure is performed under anesthesia and carefully supervised by trained professionals. Although with these safeguards in hand, public concerns still remain. Research states how “its use is curtailed by adverse cognitive effects” (Jelovac & McLoughlin, 2026), highlighting the potential side effects, especially those that are related to memory, which continues to be an important ethical consideration.
This concern tends to be especially important due to the brain systems involvement in both emotion and cognition which happen to be closely connected, meaning that treatments affecting the brain function must be used both carefully and responsibly (Shapiro, 2024, Ch. 15).
Risks and Side Effects
Like any other medical treatment, ECT happens to carry certain risks and side effects that must be carefully considered when undergoing such procedure. The most common side effects include things such as short-term memory loss, confusion immediately after undergoing treatment, and mild physical discomfort such as headaches. These effects can very much vary depending on the person and the number of treatments someone has received. For example research sheds light as well on how “ECT… carries the risk of adverse neurocognitive effects” (Deng et al., 2024, p. 240), which is why medical professionals tend to carefully evaluate each patient before recommending this treatment. Although despite these concerns, most side effects are temporary and overall tend to improve after treatment ends, which can connect to memory research, such as the textbook explains how the hippocampus plays a critical role in forming new memories, which can help explain why treatments such as ECT can affect the brain temporarily, overall impacting your memory (Shapiro, 2024, Ch. 13).
Advances in Treatment
As research continues to progress, so are new treatments that are being developed, in order to improve not only the safety but also the effectiveness of therapies when it comes to topic of depression. While ECT remains one of the most reliable treatments for severe and treatment-resistant depression, researchers are still exploring alternatives that may reduce side effects that ECT has all while still trying to maintain those similar benefits. For example, Magnetic Seizure Therapy (MST) is currently being studied as a potential alternative option that could minimize those cognitive side effects that ECT has. Although at the same time, research still continues to support ECT, stating that “ECT is suggested as a viable option… for treatment-resistant patients” (Pozuelo Moyano et al., 2025), showing its importance in todays modern mental health care.
Reflecting the concept of neuroplasticity, where the brain can change and adapt over time, which is a key principle in learning and memory (Shapiro, 2024, Ch. 13).
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