Prolactin and beta-endorphin serum elevations after ECT in manic patients
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Updated: Oct 10, 2026

Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy
Published on: April 11, 2019
H R Chaudhry1, P Hofmann, N Loimer
1Fatima Jinnah Medical College, Punjab University, Lahore, Pakistan.
Objective:
Alterations in prolactin and beta-endorphin serum levels after ECT are well-established findings in depression. The present study focuses on electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) response patterns of the mentioned parameters in patients suffering from acute mania.
Method:
Following the first three ECTs of a treatment series in 19 patients diagnosed according to DSM-III-R criteria as suffering from mania, blood samples were drawn before, and 20, 30 and 40 minutes after ECT. Serum prolactin and beta-endorphin levels were established in order to gain information about the effects of ECT on different neurotransmitter systems.
Results:
A significant transient increase in serum prolactin after ECT was found. Furthermore, in females but not males, delta(max)prolactin diminished over the course of treatment as prolactin baseline levels increased. beta-endorphin levels showed a stable transient increase after ECT stimulus regardless from sex or treatment.
Conclusion:
The reported findings reflect those established in depression. This suggests that they are epiphenomenal to ECT.
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