Psychiatrists experimenting with electroshock observed a striking phenomenon early on: just as abruptly as their human puppets could be set jiggling after the "electric spasm," and a few second latency, so the seizure was often doused abruptly by some natural protective mechanism and seizure activity quit suddenly after 30 seconds to a minute.
This fascinating "on/off" behavior is called the "fit switch."
Everyone shows some slowing following ECT. Studies have shown that which hemisphere received the unilateral ECT can be determined by blinded observers reading post-shock EEG's only.
"There is much individual variation in the sensitivity of the EEG to ECT; in some patients the record may show little change after 10-12 convulsions; in others a considerable and persistent abnormality is evident after 2 or 3....There is some evidence that when slow activity fails to persist the outcome of the treatment is likely to be unfavorable." (Kiloh et al op cit citing Roth M (1951): Changes in the EEG under Barbiturate Anaesthesia produced by Electro-convulsive Treatment and their significance for the Theory of ECT Action. Electroenceph. clin Neurophysiol. 3, 261)
According to ECT authority: Max Fink, the dean of ECT, via a slightly less than academic source, the Psychiatric Times newspaper, April, 1997:
"During a course of ECT, patients develop marked changes in the interseizure EEG: mean frequency slow, amplitudes increase and prolonged periods of slow wave, and spike and slow wave, and spike and slow wave, and spike burst activity appear. These interseizure EEG effects are also necessary for a successful treatment course (Fink and Kahn(. This finding has been repeatedly verified."
In the same Psychiatric Times article Dr. Fink takes the same position vis a vis psychiatric drugs: brain damage is the intent: "Changes in the EEG are necessary for therapeutic efficacy of psychotropic drugs (Fink, 1969: EEG and human psychopharmacology. Ann Rev Pharmacoo 1969:9 241-258)
Citing oneself, often in journal with the same intellectual clout as Psychiatric Times, adds a kind of echo of authority and is a not uncommon rhetorical device among ECT'ers.
Although proponents of shock have had the audacity to advocate it's use for the treatment (sic) of epilepsy based on the predictable post-ictal EEG suppression, (read slowing) they ignore the repeated reports of post-ictal activation and the kindling of permanent seizure disorders.
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