From shell shock to electroshock : the story of Ugo Cerletti (1877-1963)

Ugo Cerletti was an Italian psychiatrist active in the first half of the twentieth century. His research in the sphere of neuropsychiatry was always conducted with a remarkably open mind and a strong will. In 1938, he introduced the use of electroshock (now known as electroconvulsive therapy) into clinical practice for the treatment of schizophrenia and severe depression. His innovation was the outcome of a thorough understanding in the fields of psychiatry and anatomic pathology for his time. It became known all over the world and withstood the test of time, despite the arrival of other novel treatments, and the opposition it aroused in subsequent periods. Even today, electroconvulsive therapy is considered an effective treatment for severe mental disorders refractory to pharmacological solutions. This paper retraces Ugo Cerletti’s formative years, particularly focusing on his ingenious activities during World War I, in the conviction that they made a mark on his subsequent achievements.