Electro-Convulsive therapy - biological - Flashcards in A Level and IB Psychology

Created by: katie
Created on: 21-05-15 18:12

what does ECT do?

causes a convulsive seizure in the patient

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what happens in the preparation stage?

medical examination and they can't eat for 6 hours. then put to sleep using a general anesthetic and muscle relaxants (to prevent any physical injuries) and oxygen (to protect against brain damage)

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what happens in the administration stage?

2 electrodes attached to the patient's head and then a current is passed through the brain for half a second which causes a convulsion. this voltage will be between 70-150 volts. this lasts for up to a few minutes.

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what are the two types of ECT that can be used?

bilateral (the current passes through both temples at the same time) and unilateral (the current passes through only one temple)

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how many sessions are needed to cure the mental disorder?

typically 6-12 of these short sessions (frequency related to the severity of the symptoms)

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STRENGTH: ease

the sessions are very short and it is relatively easy to administer the shocks

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STRENGTH: anti-depressants

can be used as an alternative treatment for depression when anti-depressants have proved to be ineffective for an individual

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STRENGTH: effectiveness

success rate of up to 90% for manic or depressive patients

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WEAKNESS: Clare

Clare cautions against the over-use of ECT and said that it is over-used because of its ease in comparison to some other treatments

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WEAKNESS: unethical

lots of people including the organisation CALM argue that it is unethical because we do not understand how exactly that this treatment works and why/if it is effective

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WEAKNESS: side effects

the side effects of this treatment can be serious e.g. amnesia or lose the ability to acquire new memories

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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

what happens in the preparation stage?

Back

medical examination and they can't eat for 6 hours. then put to sleep using a general anesthetic and muscle relaxants (to prevent any physical injuries) and oxygen (to protect against brain damage)

Card 3

Front

what happens in the administration stage?

Back

Card 4

Front

what are the two types of ECT that can be used?

Back

Card 5

Front

how many sessions are needed to cure the mental disorder?

Back

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Electro-Convulsive therapy - biological