Side Effects . Side effects of ECT may include temporary confusion, memory lapses, headache, nausea, muscle soreness, and heart disturbances. Concerns about permanent memory loss appear to be unfounded. One study that used brain scans before and after ECT found no evidence of cell damage. The Procedure .
Some people report mood improvement as early as two days after treatment.
In others depression may not lift for three or four weeks. Side Effects . Side effects include headache, eye strain, and irritability, although these symptoms tend to disappear within a week. Patients should be examined by an ophthalmologist before undergoing this treatment. Cingulotomy A surgical technique called cingulotomy interrupts the cingulate gyrus, a bundle of nerve fibers in the front of the brain, by applying heat or cold.