title: Comparison of the effects of repeated electroconvulsive shock on alpha 2- and beta-adrenoceptors in different regions of rat brain.
abstract: The effects of ten, once-daily electroconvulsive shocks on alpha 2 and beta-adrenoceptor binding were investigated in the rat cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus and cerebellum. [3H]Clonidine and [3H]dihydroalprenolol were used as radioligands for alpha 2 and beta-adrenoceptors respectively. Twenty-four hours after the last shock, the density of beta-adrenoceptors was reduced in the cortex and hippocampus, but not in the hypothalamus or cerebellum. There was no change in the apparent affinity of the beta-receptors in any of the regions studied. Alpha 2-adrenoceptor density was reduced in all the regions studied (cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus) with, again, no change in their apparent affinity. It is concluded that the effects of electro-convulsive shock on alpha 2 and beta-adrenoceptors show regional variation; possible reasons for this variation are discussed.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000378:metabolism; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D003000:Clonidine / Q000378:metabolism; D004082:Dihydroalprenolol / Q000378:metabolism; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic / Q000378:metabolism*; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta; D004082:Dihydroalprenolol; D003000:Clonidine; D009638:Norepinephrine