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Subramanian S, Lopez R, Zorumski CF, Cristancho P. Electroconvulsive therapy in treatment resistant depression. J Neurol Sci 2022; 434:120095. [PMID: 34979372 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2021.120095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a treatment modality for patients with treatment resistant depression (TRD), defined as failure of two adequate antidepressant medication trials. We provide a qualitative review of ECT's effectiveness for TRD, methods to optimize ECT parameters to improve remission rates and side effect profiles, and ECT's proposed neurobiological mechanisms. Right unilateral (RUL) electrode placement has been shown to be as effective for major depression as bilateral ECT, and RUL is associated with fewer cognitive side effects. There is mixed evidence on how to utilize ECT to sustain remission (i.e., continuation ECT, psychotropic medications alone, or a combination of ECT and psychotropic medications). Related to neurobiological mechanisms, an increase in gray matter volume in the hippocampus-amygdala complex is reported post-ECT. High connectivity between the subgenual anterior cingulate and the middle temporal gyrus before ECT is associated with better treatment response. Rodent models have implicated changes in neurotransmitters including glutamate, GABA, serotonin, and dopamine in ECT's efficacy; however, findings in humans are limited. Altogether, while ECT remains a highly effective therapy, the neurobiological underpinnings associated with improvement of depression remain uncertain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subha Subramanian
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine, Harlingen, TX, USA.
| | - Ruthzaine Lopez
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine, Harlingen, TX, USA
| | - Charles F Zorumski
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine, Harlingen, TX, USA
| | - Pilar Cristancho
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine, Harlingen, TX, USA
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Chawla MK, Gray DT, Nguyen C, Dhaliwal H, Zempare M, Okuno H, Huentelman MJ, Barnes CA. Seizure-Induced Arc mRNA Expression Thresholds in Rat Hippocampus and Perirhinal Cortex. Front Syst Neurosci 2018; 12:53. [PMID: 30443206 PMCID: PMC6221912 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2018.00053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Immediate-early genes (IEGs) are rapidly and transiently induced following excitatory neuronal activity including maximal electroconvulsive shock treatment (ECT). The rapid RNA response can be blocked by the sodium channel antagonist tetrodotoxin (TTX), without blocking seizures, indicating a role for electrical stimulation in electroconvulsive shock-induced mRNA responses. In behaving animals, Arc mRNA is selectively transcribed following patterned neuronal activity and rapidly trafficked to dendrites where it preferentially accumulates at active synapses for local translation. Here we examined whether there is a relationship between the current intensities that elicit seizures and the threshold for Arc mRNA transcription in the rat hippocampus and perirhinal cortex (PRC). Animals received ECT of varying current intensities (0, 20, 40 65, 77 and 85 mA) and were sacrificed 5 min later. While significantly more CA1, CA3 and perirhinal pyramidal cells expressed Arc at the lowest stimulus intensity compared to granule cells, there was an abrupt threshold transition that occurred in all four regions at 77 mA. This precise threshold for Arc expression in all temporal lobe neurons examined may involve regulation of the calcium-dependent mechanisms that are upstream to activity-dependent IEG transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica K. Chawla
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- ARL Division of Neural Systems, Memory and Aging, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Daniel T. Gray
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- ARL Division of Neural Systems, Memory and Aging, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Christie Nguyen
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- ARL Division of Neural Systems, Memory and Aging, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Harshaan Dhaliwal
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- ARL Division of Neural Systems, Memory and Aging, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Marc Zempare
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- ARL Division of Neural Systems, Memory and Aging, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Hiroyuki Okuno
- Medical Innovation Center, Kyoto Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Matthew J. Huentelman
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Translational Genomics Research Institute, Neurogenomics Division, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Carol A. Barnes
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- ARL Division of Neural Systems, Memory and Aging, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Departments of Psychology, Neurology, and Neuroscience, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
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Singh A, Kar SK. How Electroconvulsive Therapy Works?: Understanding the Neurobiological Mechanisms. CLINICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE 2017; 15:210-221. [PMID: 28783929 PMCID: PMC5565084 DOI: 10.9758/cpn.2017.15.3.210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2016] [Revised: 12/06/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a time tested treatment modality for the management of various psychiatric disorders. There have been a lot of modifications in the techniques of delivering ECT over decades. Despite lots of criticisms encountered, ECT has still been used commonly in clinical practice due to its safety and efficacy. Research evidences found multiple neuro-biological mechanisms for the therapeutic effect of ECT. ECT brings about various neuro-physiological as well as neuro-chemical changes in the macro- and micro-environment of the brain. Diverse changes involving expression of genes, functional connectivity, neurochemicals, permeability of blood-brain-barrier, alteration in immune system has been suggested to be responsible for the therapeutic effects of ECT. This article reviews different neurobiological mechanisms responsible for the therapeutic efficacy of ECT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Singh
- Department of Psychiatry, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, U.P, India
| | - Sujita Kumar Kar
- Department of Psychiatry, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, U.P, India
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Differences in the Treatment Response to Antithyroid Drugs versus Electroconvulsive Therapy in a Case of Recurrent Catatonia due to Graves' Disease. Case Rep Psychiatry 2012; 2012:868490. [PMID: 22937417 PMCID: PMC3420707 DOI: 10.1155/2012/868490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2012] [Accepted: 04/04/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We reported a case which presented recurrent episodes of catatonia as a result of Graves' disease with hyperthyroidism. The patient showed different treatment response in each episodes; in the first episode, psychiatric and physical symptoms were resolved by a combination of antithyroid and anxiolytic therapies, while in the second episode, the combination therapy did not ameliorate her symptoms and ECT was indicated. We postulated that decreased CSF level of TTR and the resulting susceptibility to the derangement of peripheral thyroid function might be involved in this different treatment response.
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