Effect of electroconvulsive treatment on brain monoamine content, pituitary-adrenal function and plasma prolactin.

The effect of electroconvulsive therapy used in psychiatry was investigated in rats. Electroconvulsion significantly increased the plasma prolactin, and decreased the hypothalamic dopamine content. The adrenal response (increase in plasma corticosterone) did not differ from the control groups. The results indicate that the prolactin response elicited by electroconvulsion is due to monoaminergic influence and not to the stress reaction.