Alpha-Adrenergic Regulation of Growth Hormone Release After Electroconvulsive Therapy in Man

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Abstract
When electroshock therapy was administered to male psychiatric patients without anticonvulsive premedication, serum growth hormone (GH) increased; the increase was not prevented by an infusion of 20% glucose (5 ml per min) 20 min prior to electroshock. Therefore, the GH rise is not caused by muscle exercise during convulsions. Infusing 30 mg of phentolamine 40 min prior to electroshock inhibited the GH response. Phentolamine’s effect shows that the stress-induced GH release that follows electroconvulsive therapy is mediated by alpha-adrenergic neurons.

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