User:FrederickRothman/sandbox

Dr. Frederick Rothman

Dr. Rothman has a PHD in Neuroscience from the Berlin School of Mind and Brain Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Dr. Rothman headed a research project at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in West Virginia, where he experimented with a wide variety of ways to treat mental illness, including Insulin Shock, Drug Induced Shock, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Electroconvulsive Therapy, Deep Probe Chemical Manipulation Therapy, Electrochemical Erasing, Vagus Nerve Stimulation, Convergence Therapy, Psychotheraputic Drug Analysis, Amygdala Removal, and Frontal Lobotomy. He resigned under pressure from the Board of Directors in 1990 after the deaths of several patients during a combination of ECT, Convergence, and Deep Probe Chemical Manipulation therapy. After Dr. Rothman's departure from the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in West Virginia, rumors of hauntings, sights, sounds, temperature changes, and odd smells were reported and as many as 20 additional patients died from unknown causes, 7 staff members committed suicide leading to an investigation into treatment practices and an outcry from the public led to reductions in funding for operation of the facility. The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in West Virginia closed just 4 years later in 1994 due to severe building deterioration, lack of funding, and unexplained paranormal activity. The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in West Virginia is currently in operation as a tourist attraction, best known for its hauntings.

After his resignation, Dr. Rothman began to focus his studies on Paranormal Activities and phenomenon and what he called "The Convergence"

When medication fails to ease the symptoms of clinical depression, there are other options to try. Brain stimulation techniques such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), for example, can be used to treat major depression that hasn't responded to standard treatments.

The least invasive of these techniques is called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), in which electric pulses are sent by a device held to the forehead to the prefrontal cortex, the region of the brain that is connected to mood.

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) uses a pacemaker-like device known as a vagus nerve stimulator to alleviate depression. With ECT, an electric current is briefly applied through the scalp to the brain, inducing a seizure.

ECT is among the safest and most effective treatments available for depression. With ECT, electrodes are put on the patient's scalp and a finely controlled electric current is applied while the patient is under general anesthesia. The current causes a brief seizure in the brain. ECT is one of the fastest ways to relieve symptoms in severely depressed or suicidal patients. It's also very effective for patients who suffer from mania or other mental illnesses.

ECT is generally used when severe depression is unresponsive to other forms of therapy. Or it might be used when patients pose a severe threat to themselves or others and it is too dangerous to wait until medications take effect. Although ECT has been used since the 1940s and 1950s, it remains misunderstood by the general public. Many of the procedure's risks and side effects are related to the misuse of equipment, incorrect administration, or improperly trained staff. It is also a misconception that ECT is used as a "quick fix" in place of long-term therapy or hospitalization. Nor is it correct to believe that the patient is painfully "shocked" out of the depression. Unfavorable news reports and media coverage have contributed to the controversy surrounding this treatment. How Is ECT Performed?

Prior to ECT treatment, a patient is given a muscle relaxant and is put to sleep with a general anesthesia. Electrodes are placed on the patient's scalp and a finely controlled electric current is applied. This current causes a brief seizure in the brain.

Because the muscles are relaxed, the visible effects of the seizure will usually be limited to slight movement of the hands and feet. Patients are carefully monitored during the treatment. The patient awakens minutes later, does not remember the treatment or events surrounding it, and is often confused. The confusion typically lasts for only a short period of time.

ECT is usually given up to three times a week for a total of two to four weeks.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can provide rapid, significant improvements in severe symptoms of a number of mental health conditions. It may be an effective treatment in someone who is suicidal, for instance, or end an episode of severe mania. ECT is used to treat:

* Severe depression, particularly when accompanied by detachment from reality (psychosis), a desire to commit suicide or refusal to eat. * Treatment-resistant depression, a severe depression that doesn't improve with medications or other treatments. * Severe mania, a state of intense euphoria, agitation or hyperactivity that occurs as part of bipolar disorder. Other signs of mania include impaired decision making, impulsive or risky behavior, substance abuse, and psychosis. * Catatonia, characterized by lack of movement, fast or strange movements, lack of speech, and other symptoms. It's associated with schizophrenia and some other psychiatric disorders. In some cases, catatonia is caused by a medical illness. * Agitation and aggression in people with dementia, which can be difficult to treat and negatively affect quality of life.

ECT may be a good treatment option when medications aren't tolerated or other forms of therapy haven't worked. In some cases ECT is used:

* During pregnancy, when medications can't be taken because they might harm the developing fetus * In older adults who can't tolerate drug side effects * In people who prefer ECT treatments over taking medications *

When ECT has been successful in the past

Although ECT is generally safe, risks and side effects may include: * Confusion. Immediately after an ECT treatment, you may experience a period of confusion that can last from a few minutes to several hours. You may not know where you are or why you're there. You may be able to return to normal activities right away, or you may need to rest for several hours after treatment. Rarely, confusion may last several days or longer. Confusion is generally more noticeable in older adults. *

Memory loss. ECT can affect memory in several ways. You may have trouble remembering events that occurred before treatment began, a condition known as retrograde amnesia. It may be hard to remember things in the weeks or months leading up to treatment, although some people do have problems with memories from previous years, as well. You may also have trouble recalling events that occurred during the weeks of your treatment. And some people have trouble with memory of events that occur even after ECT has stopped. These memory problems usually improve within a couple of months. * Physical side effects. On the days you have an ECT treatment, you may experience nausea, vomiting, headache, jaw pain, muscle ache or muscle spasms. These generally can be treated with medications. *

Medical complications. As with any type of medical procedure, especially one that involves anesthesia, there are risks of medical complications. During ECT, heart rate and blood pressure increase, and in rare cases, that can lead to serious heart problems. If you have heart problems, ECT may be more risky.