Repeated electroconvulsive shock treatment induces two humoral anti-depressive factors in mouse

Forced swimming is considered a depression model. Repeated electroconvulsive shock treatment shows an anti-depressive effect in mice forced swimming. In serum of the mice treated with repeated electroconvulsive shock, the humoral anti-depressive factors were detected. The factors were the glycolipid having GalNAc alpha1-3GalNAc and mouse fibrinopeptide A having amino acid sequence TDTEKDGEFLSGGGV. The behavioral anti-depressive activity of the glycolipid was decreased by the low doses (100 to approximately 10 microg/kg) of dopamine 2 receptor antagonist sulpiride. Behavioral activity of the peptide was also decreased by the low doses (100 to approximately 1 microg/kg) of dopamine 1 receptor antagonist SCH-23390. The present findings clearly indicate that repeated electroconvulsive shock treatment induces the humoral anti-depressive factors affecting the dopaminergic neuronal system in mice.