ECT: course of treatment: practice question

A Psychiatry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Psychiatry · ECT: course of treatment

Sample item

A typical course of ECT for depression consists of approximately:

A1 session per yearB30 sessions dailyCOne session totalD6 to 12 sessions, two to three times a week

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. 6 to 12 sessions, two to three times a week

A course is usually 6 to 12 treatments given two to three times weekly, adjusted to clinical response. Continuation drugs or maintenance ECT help prevent relapse.

Option by option

A. 1 session per year
A yearly session is not a treatment course.
B. 30 sessions daily
Daily sessions for 30 days would cause severe cognitive harm.
C. One session total
One session is rarely enough.
D. 6 to 12 sessions, two to three times a week (correct)
Correct. Six to twelve sessions at two to three per week.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Psychiatry question

What is the answer to this Psychiatry question?

The best answer is D, 6 to 12 sessions, two to three times a week. A course is usually 6 to 12 treatments given two to three times weekly, adjusted to clinical response.

Why is "1 session per year" not the answer?

A yearly session is not a treatment course.

Why is "30 sessions daily" not the answer?

Daily sessions for 30 days would cause severe cognitive harm.

Why is "One session total" not the answer?

One session is rarely enough.

What concept does this question test?

It tests ECT: course of treatment in Psychiatry. Continuation drugs or maintenance ECT help prevent relapse.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study ECT: course of treatment?

Learn each diagnosis by its core features and its first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other Psychiatry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.