Clinical Neuroscience of ECT (CNECT)

 Out on PubMed, from clinicians in Wales, is this paper: Intravenous Ketamine to Facilitate Transport of Agitated Patients to the  ECT  Clinic. Dean O, Byford-Brooks A, Hannigan K, Saunders D, Gamble W, Kirov G. J ECT. 2024 Nov 26. doi: 10.1097/YCT.0000000000001090. Online ahead of print. PMID:  39589116 The abstract is copied below: Objectives: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can be effective for a variety of psychiatric conditions, including for some patients who are very psychotic or agitated. Transferring such patients from the psychiatric ward to the ECT clinic can pose significant challenges for treating teams, as they try to minimize the use of restraint. Methods: We developed a protocol for safe transfer of such patients using sedation with ketamine. An intravenous cannula is inserted on the ward in a low stimulus environment with gentle supportive holds. Intravenous ketamine is given in a bolus at 0.5-2.0 mg/kg. The patient is transported on a transfer bed t...

 Out on PubMed, from authors in New Jersey and Ohio, is this case report: Electroconvulsive therapy in the treatment of catatonia in a patient with Budd Chiari syndrome: a case report. Abbas M, Noto J, Adams D, Vallesteros R, Bukhari SMA. Neurocase. 2025 Jan 16:1-4. doi: 10.1080/13554794.2024.2446316. Online ahead of print. PMID:  39817652 The abstract is copied below: Catatonia may manifest as an independent entity or as a feature of a neuropsychiatric or medical illness. While electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the gold standard treatment for catatonia, it is typically administered if the patient's symptoms fail to respond to benzodiazepines. We describe the case of a 22-year-old male with Budd Chiari induced cirrhosis and no prior psychiatric history, who presented with symptoms of psychosis and hepatic encephalopathy, was treated in the ICU for multi-factorial delirium, developed symptoms of catatonia that failed to respond to lorazepam, ultimately requiring ECT with a fav...

 Out on PubMed, from authors in the USA, is this review: Electroconvulsive therapy in autism spectrum disorders: an update to the literature. Wachtel L, Luccarelli J, Falligant JM, Smith JR. Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2024 Dec 23. doi: 10.1097/YCO.0000000000000985. Online ahead of print. PMID:  39804212 The abstract is copied below: Purpose of review: Over the last quarter century, the clinical evidence surrounding the use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has expanded. This review provides the most up-to-date findings on the usage of ECT in ASD and discusses these results within the historical context and direct patient care experience. Recent findings: ECT is typically implemented for psychotropic-refractory catatonic, affective, psychotic, and combined pathology for individuals across the lifespan. Although highly stigmatized, ECT is well tolerated, efficacious, and potentially lifesaving for select individuals. A case presenta...

 Out on PubMed, from an international collaboration of authors, is this paper: Early career psychiatrists' perceptions of and training experience in  electroconvulsive  therapy: A cross-sectional survey across Europe. Țăpoi C, Alexander L, de Filippis R, Agorastos A, Almeida D, Bhatia G, Erzin G, Gołębiewska ME, Metaj E, Medved S, Mieze K, Milutinović M, Noël C, Pushko A, Gurrea Salas D, Compaired Sanchez A, Wilkowska A, Wolthusen RPF, Pinto da Costa M. Eur Psychiatry. 2025 Jan 13;67(1):e86. doi: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2024.1798. PMID:  39801359 The abstract is copied below: Background: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a safe and effective treatment for several major psychiatric conditions, including treatment-resistant depression, mania, and schizophrenia; nevertheless, its use remains controversial. Despite its availability in some European countries, ECT is still rarely used in others. This study aims to investigate the experiences and attitudes of early career psychi...

Happy 102nd birthday to Max Fink, MD! Max Fink, an icon in our field, is one of the most influential ECT researchers, practitioners and advocates of all time. He has also been a friend and mentor to many of us in the ECT world, and we owe him a great debt of gratitude. Please join me in wishing him all the best today!                                                    Max Fink, October 2024, with Andrea and Charles Kellner

 Out on PubMed, from authors in Japan, is this paper: Approaches for difficult-to-induce-seizures  electroconvulsive  therapy cases (DEC): a Japanese expert consensus. Takekita Y, Suwa T, Yasuda K, Kawashima H, Omori W, Kurimoto N, Tsuboi T, Noda T, Aoki N, Wada K, Inada K, Takebayash M; Expert Consensus Development Working Group; Electroconvulsive Therapy Committee; Japanese Society of General Hospital Psychiatry. Ann Gen Psychiatry. 2025 Jan 12;24(1):2. doi: 10.1186/s12991-024-00543-9. PMID:  39800695   The abstract is copied below: Background: Seizure threshold increases with age and the frequency of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Therefore, therapeutic seizures can be difficult to induce, even at maximum stimulus charge with available ECT devices. Such cases are known as difficult-to-induce-seizures electroconvulsive therapy cases (DECs ). However, no clinical guidelines exist for DECs; thus, clinicians often face difficulties determining treatment strateg...