Antidepressant and Neuroprotective Effects of ECS: New Basic Science Study

 Out on PubMed, from researchers in Brazil and Houston, is this basic science article:

Combination of electroconvulsive stimulation with ketamine or escitalopram protects the brain against inflammation and oxidative stress induced by maternal deprivation and is critical for associated behaviors in male and female rats.

Abelaira HM, Rosa T, de Moura AB, Andrade NM, Martinello NS, Maciel LR, Botelho MEM, Borba LA, Chede BC, Arent CO, Joaquim L, Bonfante S, Danielski LG, Tuon T, Petronilho F, Quevedo J, Réus GZ.Mol Neurobiol. 2022 Jan 7. doi: 10.1007/s12035-021-02718-x. Online ahead of print.PMID: 34994953

The abstract is copied below:

This study aimed at evaluating the treatment effects with ketamine, electroconvulsive stimulation (ECS), escitalopram, alone or in combination in adult rats of both sexes, subjected to the animal model of maternal deprivation (MD). All groups were subjected to the forced swimming test (FST), splash and open field tests. The prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus and serum were collected to analyze oxidative stress and inflammatory parameters. MD induced depressive-like behavior in the FST test in males and reduced grooming time in male and female rats. The treatments alone or combined reversed depressive and anhedonic behavior in females. In males, all treatments increased grooming time, except for ECS + escitalopram + ketamine. MD increased lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation, nitrite/nitrate concentration and myeloperoxidase activity in the PFC and hippocampus of males and females. However, the treatment's response was sex dependent. Catalase activity decreased in the PFC of males and the PFC and hippocampus of females, and most treatments were not able to reverse it. MD increased the inflammation biomarkers levels in the PFC and hippocampus of males and females, and most treatments were able to reverse this increase. In all groups, a reduction in the interleukin-10 levels in the PFC and hippocampus of female and male rats was observed. Our study shows different responses between the sexes in the patterns evaluated and reinforces the use of the gender variable as a biological factor in MDD related to early stress and in the response of the therapeutic strategies used.

Keywords: Electroconvulsive stimulation; Escitalopram; Inflammatory parameters; Ketamine; Major depressive disorder; Maternal deprivation; Oxidative stress.

The article is here.

And from the text:

ECT is a more rapid, clinically validated method for alleviating symptoms in treatment-resistant depression [48]. Interestingly, ECT also appears to be an effective treatment method for both sexes. A meta-analysis found that, although ECT is an old technique, there is not much evidence reported
in the literature on gender-specific aspects of the ECT treatment [49]. A study conducted with male animals showed that repeated ECT resulted in a significant anti-mobility effect [50]. This is the first study that reported the ECS effects in male and female rats subjected to MD, suggesting that ECS alone or in combination with other therapies can have antidepressant effects.

This is a long and complex basic science study; I blog about it to make the point that study of the mechanisms of action of ECS (the animal analog of ECT in humans) is alive and well.

The authors focus on sex differences in their results, but for this blog, the main interest is in the overall neuroprotective effect of ECS.

In addition, the maternal deprivation model of depression is interesting, and it may be a predisposing factor in some patients, but it is not clear how this relates to the majority of patients with the common varieties of severe mood disorders.

A full read of this article, suggested only for serious omnivores of the basic neurobiology of ECT, will be ~ 35 minutes.