J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 1991; 3:58-63
Copyright © 1991 by American Neuropsychiatric Association
The effects of electroconvulsive shock on dopamine-1 and dopamine-2 receptor ligand binding activity in MPTP-treated mice
H Sershen, T Wolinsky, R Douyon, A Hashim, HL Wiener, A Lajtha, EE Coons and M Serby
Center for Neurochemistry, Nathan S. Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA.
To explore the possible therapeutic use of electric convulsive treatment in
Parkinson's disease (PD), the authors examined the biochemical effects of
electroconvulsive shock (ECS) on dopaminergic systems in a rodent model of
PD, induced with the neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-
phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). MPTP increased dopamine turnover,
as indicated by an increase in the ratio of the dopamine metabolites
dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovanillic acid to dopamine. [3H]Spiperone
binding to the D2 site increased after lesioning of striatal dopamine
terminals. With ECS alone, no changes were found in monoamine levels, brain
monoamine oxidase activity, or the D2-labeled sites measured 24 hours after
the last treatment. [3H]SCH-23390 binding to the D1 site increased after
ECS. In MPTP- treated mice, ECS also increased [3H]SCH-23390 binding to the
D1 site, whereas [3H]spiperone binding to the D2 site was unchanged
compared to control or to only ECS-treated animals, and decreased compared
to the MPTP-treated group that did not receive ECS. ECS appears to
selectively modify both the D1 and D2 sites when given after MPTP,
increasing the binding of a D1 radioligand and decreasing the binding of a
D2 radioligand.
