Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) as an established technique and technology in a variety of psychiatric and neurologic conditions may require reassessment with relevance to memory loss and brain damage. The therapeutic benefit of ECT will depend on heat stress induction and inactivation of the heat shock gene Sirtuin 1 (Sirt 1) with relevance to mitochondrial apoptosis and neuron death. ECT and neurostimulation in diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases should allow intact suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) function and activation to avoid sleep/ wake disturbances, heat shock response dysregulation and induction of circadian abnormalities. ECT technology should be used with caution (dose/frequency) in psychiatric individuals with synaptic plasticity defects with relevance to unhealthy diets and core body temperature dysregulation. ECT application may now involve plasma tests for various Sirt 1 regulated protein hormones with relevance to SCN function and circadian signals.
KEY WORDS:
Electroconvulsive therapy; Mental disorders; Screening tests; Heat shock gene; Neurodegenerative diseases; Suprachiasmatic nucleus; Sirtuin 1; Diabetes; Circadian rhythm
REFERENCE: Electroconvulsive Therapy and Heat Shock Gene Inactivation in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Ann Neurodegener Dis 3(1): (2018). 1028.
Brain stimulation therapies include Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS), Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. Brain stimulation therapies such as ECT should be reassessed with relevance to dose and frequency for the treatment of psychiatric and behavioral disorders. The major concern with ECT is associated with excessive heat generation and inactivation of genes required for neuron survival
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