electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) /-kənvul″siv/ , the induction of a brief convulsion by passing an electric current through the brain for the treatment of affective disorders, especially in patients resistant to psychoactive-drug therapy. ECT is primarily used when rapid definitive response is required for either medical or psychiatric reasons, such as for a patient who is extremely suicidal and when the risks of other treatments outweigh the risk of ECT. A secondary use of ECT is treatment failure of other choices.
