Posted by linkadge on July 4, 2010, at 17:21:00
In reply to Re: shock treatment?!?! » Christ_empowered, posted by RocketMan on July 3, 2010, at 23:08:05
I have to disagree with your disagreement. ECT is like playing Russian roulette. There is really no way to "control" a seizure. Its really a crap shoot as to which brain circuits will be affected the most. Also, results probably depend on individual brain organization, and release of neuroprotective mechanisms.
ECT increases BDNF. But, BDNF increases after many types of neuronal injury as a protective mechanism. There is individual variation in the release of BDNF in response to such an event.
In mouse studies, a high release of BDNF (or injection of BDNF) in response to hypoxia corresponds to a greatly improved neurological outcome. The mice that don't release the BDNF and other neuroprotective factors (GDNF, BCL-2, preseizure glutamate levels, antioxidative status etc), aren't so lucky.
The same goes with epilepsy. It is well known that epileptic seizures can damage neural tissue. This is why neurologists go to such degrees to prevent lifetime seizure incidence. Some patients with epilepsy show significant neurological impairment after just one seizure, for others, it takes many seizures to see any impact. Some have repeated seizures without apparent consequence. Why does this happen? We don't know.
Sure, there are sucess stories with ECT, but there are also many many horror stories. The procedure is way too unpredictable to recomend. Just because one person breezed through unscathed, doesn't mean others will too.
Statistically, the relaspe for ECT is very high.
Even Sakiem (who has stock in ECT machiene companies) admits a 70+% relapse rate within a year of treatment.
poster:linkadge
thread:953125
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100628/msgs/953288.html