Studies on possible mechanisms of action of electroconvulsive therapy; effects of repeated electrically induced seizures on rat brain receptors for monoamines and other neurotransmitters

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
There is evidence that repeated electroconvulsive shocks (ECS) in rats potentiate dopamine (DA)-, serotonin (5HT)- and α-noradrenergic (α-NA)-mediated drug-induced behaviour and reduce opiate-induced behaviours. These studies suggest changes at the level of the receptor or beyond. However, high affinity in vitro 3H-ligand binding studies in brain membranes from ECS-treated control rats failed to demonstrate generalized ECS-induced changes in 5HT, DA, α-NA or opiate receptor binding. Binding of the β-receptor ligand dihydroalprenolol (3H-DHA) was significantly reduced in ECS-treated rat brain membranes. This may be secondary to effects on NA neurones since ECS-induced reduction of 3H-DHA binding did not occur in animals with 6-hydroxydopamine-induced depletion of cortical noradrenaline. In conjunction with other studies, the results suggest that electroconvulsive therapy may have a noradrenergic mechanism of action.