Studies on possible mechanisms of action of electroconvulsive therapy; effects of repeated electrically induced seizures on rat brain receptors for monoamines and other neurotransmitters.
There is evidence that repeated electroconvulsive shocks (ECS) in rats potentiate dopamine (DA)-, serotonin (5HT)- and alpha-noradrenergic (alpha-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, alpha-NA or opiate receptor binding. Binding of the beta-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.
D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D004082:Dihydroalprenolol / Q000378:metabolism; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy; D007980:Levodopa / Q000494:pharmacology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter / Q000032:analysis*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D014191:Tranylcypromine / Q000494:pharmacology; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
D011954:Receptors, Dopamine; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter; D012701:Serotonin; D014191:Tranylcypromine; D007980:Levodopa; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D004082:Dihydroalprenolol; D009638:Norepinephrine