Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-lnqnp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T23:58:13.789Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Prolactin Levels after Bilateral and Unilateral ECT

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Conrad Swartz
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Health Sciences/The Chicago Medical School, 3333 Green Bay Road, North Chicago, Illinois 60064, U.S.A.
Richard Abrams
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Health Sciences/The Chicago Medical School, 3333 Green Bay Road, North Chicago, Illinois 60064, U.S.A.

Summary

Serial post-ictal serum prolactin levels were obtained over a period of one hour after bilateral or unilateral electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in six patients. Bilateral ECT yielded significantly higher mean post-ictal prolactin levels than unilateral ECT at the 15,20,30 and 60 minute sampling times. These findings demonstrate a greater hypothalamic-stimulating effect of bilateral than unilateral ECT, and may explain the reported therapeutic advantage of bilateral over unilateral ECT in the treatment of patients with melancholia.

Type
Papers
Copyright
Copyright © 1984 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abrams, R. & Taylor, M. A. (1976) Diencephalic stimulation and the effects of ECT in endogenous depression. British Journal of Psychiatry, 129, 482–5.Google Scholar
Abrams, R., Taylor, M. A., Faber, R. et al, (1983) Bilateral versus unilateral electroconvulsive therapy: efficacy in melancholia. American Journal of Psychiatry, 140, 463–5.Google ScholarPubMed
Arato, M., Erdos, A., Kurcz, M. et al, (1980) Studies on the prolactin response induced by electroconvulsive therapy in schizophrenics. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavia, 61, 239–44.Google Scholar
Balldin, J. (1982) Factors influencing prolactin release induced by electroconvulsive therapy. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavia, 65, 365–9.Google ScholarPubMed
Carney, M. W. P. & Sheffield, B. F. (1973) Electroconvulsive therapy and the diencephalon. Lancet, 1, 1505.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
d'Elia, G. & Raotma, H. (1975) Is unilateral ECT less effective than bilateral ECT? British Journal of Psychiatry, 126, 83–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Garthwaite, T. L. & Hagen, T. C. (1979) Evidence that serotonin stimulates a prolactin-releasing factor in the rat. Neuroendocrinology, 29, 215–20.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Guidotti, A. & Grandison, L. (1978) Participation of hypothalamic endorphins in the control of prolactin release. In Advances in Biochemical Pharmacology, Vol. 18, (eds. E. Costa and M. Trabucchi). New York: Raven Press.Google Scholar
Kordon, C., Blake, C. A., Terkel, J. et al, (1973) Participation of serotonin-containing neurons in the suckling-induced rise in plasma prolactin levels in lactating rats. Neuroendocrinology, 13, 213–23.Google Scholar
MacLeod, R. M. & Lamberts, S. W. J. (1979) Clinical and fundamental correlates in dopaminergic control of prolactin secretion. In Neuroendocrine Correlates in Neurology and Psychiatry (eds. Muller, E. E. and Agnoli, A.). Amsterdam: Elsevier.Google Scholar
O'Dea, J. P. K., Gould, D., Hallberg, M., et al, (1978) Prolactin changes during electroconvulsive therapy in acute schizophrenia. American Journal of Psychiatry, 135, 609–11.Google Scholar
Ohman, R., Balldin, J., Wallinder, J. et al, (1976) Prolactin response to electroconvulsive therapy. Lancet, 1, 936–8.Google Scholar
Pollitt, J. D. (1956) Suggestions for a physiological classification of depression. British Journal of Psychiatry, 111, 489–95.Google Scholar
Robin, A. & deTissera, S. (1982) A double-blind controlled comparison of the therapeutic effects of low and high energy electroconvulsive therapies. British Journal of Psychiatry, 141, 357–66.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Swartz, C. & Dunbar, E. (1984) Postictal prolactin elevations in rats. Neuropsychobiology (in press).Google Scholar
Trimble, M. A. (1978) Serum prolactin in epilepsy and hysteria. British Medical Journal, ii, 1682.Google Scholar
Weaver, L., Williams, R. & Rush, S. (1976) Current density in bilateral and unilateral ECT. Biological Psychiatry, 9, 303–12.Google Scholar
Whalley, L. J., Rosie, R., Dick, H. et al, (1982) Immediate increases in plasma prolactin and neurophysin but not other hormones after electroconvulsive therapy. Lancet, 2, 1064–8.Google Scholar
Woo, J.-I, Park, C.-W. & Lee, C.-K. (1980) Effect of electroconvulsive shock on the contents of norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin in rat brain. Soul Uidae Chapchi, 21, 122–32.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.