title: Effect of electroconvulsive therapy on cortical excitability in a patient with long-term remission of schizophrenia: a transcranial magnetic stimulation study.
abstract: The exact effects of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) on the brain are still not accurately known. Hypotheses considered include the effect of ECT on cortical excitability of the brain. The aim of this trial was to assess the changes in cortical excitability in the brain of a patient with remitted schizophrenia, undergoing maintenance ECT. Three successive ECT applications resulted in significant prolongation of the cortical silent period, which implies augmentation of inhibitory cortical mechanisms in the brain, most likely mediated by the GABAergic (GABA, γ-aminobutyric acid) system with direct involvement of GABAB receptors. The actual therapeutic effect of ECT is therefore probably due to facilitation of cortical inhibitory mechanisms induced by GABAergic neurotransmission.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Masaryk University, Faculty of Medicine and Faculty Hospital, Czech Republic. radovan.prikryl@post.cz
authors.forename: Radovan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Přikryl
authors.forename: Libor
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ustohal
authors.forename: Hana Prikrylová
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Kucerová
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cesková
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation