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17 "Research suggests that for both types of patients (in limited and maintenance treatments), a gradual reduction in treatment elongates the length of wellness and remission of the illness. Some patients will 'taper' into maintenance treatments, and others will cease ECT treatment altogether." — Jana Lincoln, M.D., clinical associate professor, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences Some patients who experience recurrent depression may receive ECT on a maintenance basis, every month or every other month after their initial series is complete. major depressive disorder, other severe mental illnesses and even catatonia. "I like interventional medicine," she says, "and there is little room for interventional medicine in psychiatry outside of brain stimulation." Both Cindy and her family can attest to the dierence the treatment has made in her life. "My daughters say, 'Oh my word, you have transformed into the person you were supposed to be,'" she says. Lincoln and Nix stress the importance of the consent process in part because of the stigma surrounding ECT. "Even on the day of anesthesia, we talk with the patients again, and they still need to be consenting at that time," Nix says. The process put Cindy at ease when she had her first treatment. "Everyone in that room was so supportive," she says. For Lincoln, the appeal of ECT is that it can quickly make a big dierence in the lives of her patients who struggle with receives a maintenance dose of ECT every other month. A person of faith, Cindy also credits prayer as part of her recovery. But "I think we have to realize that medicine works," she says. Informed Consent The procedure has side eects that can include mild memory loss (which is usually temporary), mild headaches and muscle soreness. As with any other course of treatment, patients must work with their providers to weigh the risks against the potential benefits. For Cindy, side eects have been limited to temporary memory loss, which resolves a couple of hours after each procedure. "I'm still as bright as ever" after more than 50 treatments, she says. "So it's not going to cook your brain." Although informed consent is embedded in any medical intervention,