Ugo Cerletti and Lucio Bini
developed this therapeutic modality and tested it on a psychiatric
patient in the 1930's in Italy. At the time it represented an improvement over chemical
methods of inducing epileptic seizures (insulin shock
therapy). Electrodes are applied to the patient's head so
that a brief pulse of electricity will pass through the brain. Today the patient is
usually placed under general anesthesia, paralysed
with drugs, monitored and assisted with breathing. Usually
a series of treatments are given over a period of weeks. Of the mental disorders responsive to
ECT, depression is the most commonly treated today.
Also: electroshock, electric shock, convulsive therapy,
MMECT
A
Beautiful Mind
DVD Russell Crowe, Christopher Plummer
2002
An Angel at My Table DVD Kerry Fox, Alexia Keogh, Karen Fergusson, and
Iris Churn 1990
The Asylum
Steffanie Pitt, Nick Waring, Ingrid Pitt, Patrick Mower, Robin Askwith, Colin
Baker, Paul Reynolds, Jean Boht, Robin Parkinson, Penn Linfield, Jane
Shakespeare, Sadie Nine, Terry Taplin 2000
The Best of Youth
Luigi Lo Cascio, Alessio Boni, Jasmine Trinca, and Adriana Asti 2003
Changeling
DVD
Angelina Jolie, Colm Feore, Denis O'Hare 2008
FrancesDVD 1994 In the film
Jessica Lange plays the actress whose questionable mental illness resulted in
hospitalization and some of the treatments of her time.
2009
2006
2009
DVD 1988
DVD 1999
Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch, Timothy Hutton 1980
Peter O'Toole, Alastair Sim, Arthur Lowe, and Harry Andrews 1972
DVD Peter Breck,
John Matthews, Paul Dubov, Philip Ahn 1963
DVD Olivia de Havilland, Mark Stevens, Leo Genn, and Celeste Holm 1948