The Neurobiology of ECT: New Review of Mechanisms of Action From Investigators in the Low Countries

Out on PubMed, from researchers in Belgium and The Netherlands, is this review:


Reviewing the neurobiology of electroconvulsive therapy on a micro- meso- and macro-level.

Belge JB, Mulders P, Van Diermen L, Sienaert P, Sabbe B, Abbott CC, Tendolkar I, Schrijvers D, van Eijndhoven P.Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2023 Jun 16:110809. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2023.110809. Online ahead of print.PMID: 37331685 Review.




The abstract is copied below:

Background: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) remains the one of the most effective of biological antidepressant interventions. However, the exact neurobiological mechanisms underlying the efficacy of ECT remain unclear. A gap in the literature is the lack of multimodal research that attempts to integrate findings at different biological levels of analysis METHODS: We searched the PubMed database for relevant studies. We review biological studies of ECT in depression on a micro- (molecular), meso- (structural) and macro- (network) level.

Results: ECT impacts both peripheral and central inflammatory processes, triggers neuroplastic mechanisms and modulates large scale neural network connectivity.

Conclusions: Integrating this vast body of existing evidence, we are tempted to speculate that ECT may have neuroplastic effects resulting in the modulation of connectivity between and among specific large-scale networks that are altered in depression. These effects could be mediated by the immunomodulatory properties of the treatment. A better understanding of the complex interactions between the micro-, meso- and macro- level might further specify the mechanisms of action of ECT.

Keywords: Brain volumes; Electroconvulsive therapy; Inflammatory cytokines; Large-scale network connectivity; MDD.

And from the text:







This is a comprehensive review of the mechanism of action of ECT, with 279 references.

While I do not have access to the full text of this journal via my library, I think you will get the gist from the above excerpts.

Perhaps a future classic with the best summary of of knowledge base of the neurobiology of ECT to date?

Kudos to these authors for taking on this monumental task. Looking forward to a close read of the full article...


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