Effects of electroconvulsive treatment on somatostattn, neuropeptide Y, endothelin, and neurokinin a concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid of depressed patients: A pilot study

Abstract

AbstractCerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was obtained from eight drug‐free depressed patients before and 5–10 days after completion of a series of electroconvulsive treatments (ECT). Somatostatin‐ (STS), neuropeptide Y‐ (NPY), endothelin‐(ET), and neurokinin A‐ (NKA) like immunoreactivity (LI), as well as MHPG, HVA, and 5‐HIAA concentrations were determined in CSF samples. In line with previous reports, HVA and 5‐HIAA CSF concentrations were correlated and increased following ECT. The new findings are that STS‐LI, NPY‐LI, and ET‐LI were significantly elevated after the treatment. Means ± SD, pmol/l were: STS‐LI 8.6 ± 4.8 to 15.4 ± 10.8, P < 0.05; NPY‐LI 44.5 ± 8.9 to 51.4 ± 12.1, P < 0.01; ET‐LI 0.91 ± 0.27 to 1.54 ± 0.39, P <0.01. The results raise the possibility that one of ECT's mechanisms of action, consistent with the well‐documented action of electroconvulsive stimuli (ECS) on peptides in distinct rat brain regions, involves alterations of synthesis, release or clearance of SS, NPY, and ET. As seven/eight subjects improved, the findings could also depend on changes in the patients' clinical condition rather than a cascade of biochemical alterations induced by ECT. Studies in patients receiving but not responding to ECT would be necessary to decide between these possibilities. Depression 3:250–256 (1995/1996). ± 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.