Volts to brain cause seizure

ECT is electroconvulsive therapy – a treatment that involves sending an electric current through the brain to trigger an epileptic seizure.

It is used to relieve the symptoms of some mental health problems.

The treatment is given under a general anaesthetic and using muscle relaxants, so that a patient will only twitch slightly and their body does not convulse during the seizure.

ECT is mainly used on patients with severe, lifethreatening depression.

No one is sure how it works, but it is known to change patterns of blood flow in the brain.

It also alters the way energy is used in parts of the brain that are thought to be involved in depression.

The treatment may cause changes in brain chemistry, although how these are related to symptoms is not understood.