title: Naloxone fails to prolong seizure length in ECT.
abstract: Electroconvulsive shock (ECS) in animals has been shown to enhance endogenous opiate systems. The anticonvulsant effects of ECS are also partially blocked by the opiate receptor antagonist naloxone, leading some investigators to postulate that the anticonvulsant effects of ECS are mediated by activation of endogenous opiates. If such a phenomenon occurs in humans, then naloxone might prolong seizure length in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). In the present study, nine patients were given 2.0 mg intravenous (i.v.) naloxone 2 minutes prior to one-half of their ECT treatments. Motor seizure length was measured via the cuff technique. EEG tracings were read by an investigator blind to naloxone status. There was no difference between the two groups in either EEG or nonblindly evaluated motor seizure length. It is concluded that a dose of 2 mg naloxone does not effectively increase seizure length in ECT.
authors.affiliation: Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University, Department of Psychiatry, Richmond, USA.
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Pandurangi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009270:Naloxone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012640:Seizures / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D009270:Naloxone