ECT
Medical abbreviation · Mental Health & Psychiatry
| Stands for | Electroconvulsive therapy |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
ECT stands for Electroconvulsive therapy, a mental health & psychiatry abbreviation.
Treatment in which a brief, controlled seizure is induced with electrical current under general anesthesia and muscle relaxation, usually two or three times a week for 6–12 sessions. It is the most effective treatment for severe, psychotic or treatment-resistant depression and for catatonia.
Example: Severe depression with psychotic features and poor oral intake; ECT right unilateral, session 3 of 9.
Usage notes
First used in Italy in 1938 by Ugo Cerletti and Lucio Bini. Modern ECT bears little resemblance to its portrayal in films such as One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Short-term memory problems are the main side effect and usually improve over weeks. Maintenance ECT can prevent relapse. Formerly called electroshock therapy.
Related abbreviations
More mental health & psychiatry abbreviations
- CUD – Cannabis use disorder
- DBT – Dialectical behavior therapy
- DID – Dissociative identity disorder
- DMDD – Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder
- DSM-5 – Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition
- DTs – Delirium tremens
- ED – Eating disorder
- EMDR – Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing
- EPS – Extrapyramidal symptoms
- ERP – Exposure and response prevention
- EUPD – Emotionally unstable personality disorder
- GAD – Generalized anxiety disorder
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This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.