Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the most effective treatment for severe depression, with a remission rate of 45–70%. It is recommended for the rapid improvement of treatment-resistant episodes of severe depression, severe or prolonged mania, and catatonia. It is a medically safe procedure and the major risks are related to anaesthesia. Cognitive adverse effects can be minimized by using unilateral electrode placement as well as ultrabrief pulse width (0.3 ms) stimuli; the adverse effects usually resolve within a few weeks after the course of treatment.