title: Chronic rTMS induces subsensitivity of post-synaptic 5-HT1A receptors in rat hypothalamus.
abstract: Chronic administration of several antidepressants, notably the selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) induces sub-sensitivity of post-synaptic 5-HT1A receptors in the hypothalamus. Chronic repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a form of treatment for depression which is often compared to electroconvulsive shock therapy (ECT). rTMS was applied to rats either on a single occasion (acute) or daily for 8 d (chronic). Twenty-four hours after the last treatment, the rats were injected with saline or 8-OH-DPAT (50 microg/kg). The rats were killed 20 min later and trunk blood taken for measurement of corticosterone and ACTH levels. Chronic rTMS did not affect basal corticosterone or ACTH levels but significantly blunted the responses to 8-OH-DPAT, while acute rTMS had no effect on either basal or 8-OH-DPAT-stimulated responses. In common with several other antidepressant treatments, chronic rTMS reduces the sensitivity of post-synaptic 5-HT1A receptors in the hypothalamus. This effect may be significant in relation to the therapeutic mechanism of rTMS.
authors.affiliation: Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Eitan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gur
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lerer
authors.forename: Louis D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: van de Kar
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Newman
mesh_terms: D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D044282:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D044282:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A; D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003345:Corticosterone