The effects of chronic lithium and ECT on A1 and A2 adenosine receptor systems in rat brain.

The influence of chronic dietary lithium administration and electroconvulsive therapy on adenosine A1 and A2 receptors in rat brain were determined. A2 receptor activity was measured by accumulation of cyclic AMP in a cerebral cortical slice preparation after in vitro addition of 2-chloro-adenosine, and was unchanged in animals which received chronic Li but reduced following chronic ECT. A similar reduction was found in the response to noradrenaline and a combination of the two agents. A1 receptors were measured by binding of [3H]cyclohexyladenosine. Both Kd and Bmax values were unchanged after chronic Li or a single ECS, but chronic ECT led to a 70% increase in Bmax. It is proposed that this effect may mediate the reduced locomotor activity seen after chronic ECT in rats, and that it may also be related to the increase in seizure thresholds seen during a course of ECS treatment in humans.