[Electroconvulsive therapy in treatment resistant depression: What is new?].

Despite major advances in the treatment of mood disorders, major depression, a common mental disorder, remains a serious public health problem. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) regardless of the anesthetic agent used, is the most effective form of treatment in major depression and the gold standard therapy in treatment resistant depression. Ketamine is one of the anesthetic drugs approved by the Αmerican Psychiatric Association Task Force Report for use in ECT.

The practice of electroconvulsive therapy in Greece.

Objective: To describe the practice of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in Greece.

Methods: A survey was conducted during the academic year 2008-2009. Electroconvulsive therapy use was investigated for 2007.