IUBio

request good review article (ECT)

kkollins at pop3.concentric.net kkollins at pop3.concentric.net
Mon Nov 16 00:10:01 EST 1998


F. Frank LeFever wrote:

> [...]

> ECT works by causing seizure activity in the nerve cells of the brain.
> What this seizure activity does that is beneficial in treating
> depression is not so clear, but changes in neurotransmitter balances
> seem likely.  We are just beginning to understand some of the
> cellular-level changes involved,

Ho, ho, ho :-)

> but the answer may lie in IEGs
> (immediate early genes), HSPs (so-called "heat-shock proteins"),
> neurotrophin responses, etc.  In other words, this is a therapy which
> has been developed and applied empirically (i.e. "it works") and the
> theory lags behind.

ECT only gives the =illusion= of "working"... might as well put on boxing
gloves and pummel one... they'd get "distracted" from their "depression"
that way, too, and it'd be a lot cheaper way of achieving the same
"results".

> However there is NO reason to invoke "memory erasure".  If this were
> the basis, patients who recovered from depression after ECT would be
> amnestic.

To a degree depending upon current and its duration, they are... for
reasons I described in a prior post.

> Indeed, in an effort to AVOID even transient memory
> disruption, some use unilateral ECT rather than bilateral...

"Unilateral ECT"... do they send the patients in to have their brains
"split" first?

> And why do we not use MRI to treat depression?  Because it apparently
> has NO effect on brain physiology. (I am open to correction on this.
> If someone knows of evidence of some subtle changes, I'd be interested.
>  I believe some have been seen with deoxyglucose)(sp?) (not my area of
> expertise).

There has to be a smidgeon of altered-ness because MRI works by jacking up
"electron" "states" with a "radio" signal... the image is captured when the
jacked-up "states" return to "normal"... it's like a "hiccup" at the
neuronal level. I'm unaware of any detectable, enduring alterations... that
there aren't any is plausible because everything's "jacked-up", to the same
level, all at once... if there's any net effect, it's probably somewhat
like the stuff of the Relativistic "Twin Paradox" in Physics.

> Mr. Cheng: I repeat my suggestion to find a less critical newsgroup.
> No point (pun?) in "crossing swords" with worthy challengers if you are
> incapable of the intellectual honesty of acknowledging when you've been
> "hit".
>
> F. Frank LeFever, Ph.D.
> New York Neuropsychology Group
>
> >> =
> >> >> =
> >> >






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