Final answer:
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) stimulates the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which helps improve the symptoms of depression and enhance brain function.
Step-by-step explanation:
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a treatment that has been found to help severely depressed people. It stimulates the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF is a protein in the brain that promotes the growth, survival, and differentiation of neurons, and it plays a key role in neuroplasticity and the formation of new connections between brain cells. By increasing BDNF levels, ECT can help improve the symptoms of depression and enhance brain function.