Background Depression is a clinical common high suicide rates of mental illness, electroconvulsive therapy can be quickly alleviate symptoms of depression, reduce the risk of suicide in patients with, at the same time for treatment-resistant depression has obvious curative effect. With the introduction of anesthetic drugs and muscle relaxants, the safety and acceptability of electroshock therapy is improved, which is called modified electroshock. Objective By reviewing and summarizing the application of anesthetic drugs in the treatment of electroshock in patients with depression, more reasonable anesthesia management was carried out to improve the treatment effect of patients with depression. Content Advances in the application of narcotic drugs in electroshock therapy for patients with depression were reviewed.Trend With the rational and accurate application of anesthetic drugs in electroshock therapy, the therapeutic effect of depression patients is increasing.