This page was translated automatically from Turkish. Read the original

Bu sayfa, 26. Dünya Psikiyatri Kongresi'nde sunulan çalışmanın yapay zekâ desteğiyle hazırlanmış Türkçe özetidir. Çalışmanın sahibi sunan yazarlardır; atıf için orijinal kaynağa başvurun.

Neurobiological mechanisms underlying ECT's effects: neuroplasticity and rewiring

Neurobiological mechanisms of ect action: neuroplasticity and rewiring

Current evidence does not support the view that ECT causes irreversible cellular damage or progressive structural brain damage; the findings point to neuroplastic processes and circuit-level reorganization.

This talk aims to synthesize knowledge about the effects of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), one of the most effective treatments for severe depression and catatonia, on the brain within a clinician-oriented framework. It notes that the entrenched misconception that ECT causes "brain damage" contributes to stigma, delays access to treatment, and can prevent a potentially lifesaving intervention. The evidence base encompasses animal models, postmortem studies, blood biomarkers, and in vivo neuroimaging studies. None of these sources supports the view that ECT causes irreversible cellular injury or progressive structural damage; converging findings point to neuroplastic processes involving neurogenesis, gliogenesis, synaptogenesis, angiogenesis, and large-scale circuit reorganization. Human MRI studies consistently report transient increases in hippocampal volume following ECT; diffusion MRI data indicate that these changes are more consistent with neuroplastic remodeling than with edema or tissue damage. More recent longitudinal imaging studies suggest a phased process in which acute neural perturbation is followed by adaptive plasticity and therapeutic network reorganization. Clinical implications: this evidence can be communicated to patients and families in evidence-based, reassuring language, thereby helping to reduce the stigma surrounding treatment.

Tüm WCP 2026 özetleri