Electroconvulsive therapy enhances endocannabinoids in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with major depression: a preliminary prospective study.
Despite the lack of clinical data about the role of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in affective disorders, preclinical work suggests that the ECS is relevant in both with regard to the etiology of depression as well as the mediation of antidepressant effects. We measured the intraindividual levels of the endocannabinoids N-arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) in the cerebrospinal fluid of 12 patients suffering from a major depressive episode before and after the antidepressant treatment by electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). AEA was significantly elevated after ECT as compared to baseline. The AEA increase positively correlated with the number of individually performed ECT sessions. Although the sample size was small and confounders were not rigorously controlled for, our finding corroborates preclinical work and should encourage further exploration of the involvement of the ECS in depressive disorder.
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany. laura.kranaster@zi-mannheim.de.
Laura
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8414-0910
L
Kranaster
Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany.
Carolin
C
Hoyer
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany.
Suna Su
SS
Aksay
Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH), Medical Faculty Mannheim/University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
Jan Malte
JM
Bumb
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany.
F Markus
FM
Leweke
Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany.
Christoph
C
Janke
Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany.
Manfred
M
Thiel
Institute for Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center Mainz, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Beat
B
Lutz
Institute for Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center Mainz, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Laura
L
Bindila
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany.
Alexander
A
Sartorius
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000628:therapy*; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D063388:Endocannabinoids / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D005260:Female; D005989:Glycerides / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D005989:Glycerides; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; C094503:glyceryl 2-arachidonate; C078814:anandamide
Antidepressant therapy; Depression; ECT; Electroconvulsive therapy; Endocannabinoid system