Related Experiment Videos
Repeated electroconvulsive stimulation impairs long-term depression in the neostriatum
Marco De Murtas1, Roberto Tatarelli, Paolo Girardi
1Clinica Psichiatrica II Universitá di Roma la Sapienza (MDM, RT, PG), Rome, Italy.
Biological Psychiatry
|March 17, 2004
Summary
Electroconvulsive stimulation (ECS) impairs long-term depression (LTD) in the rat striatum, suggesting this mechanism contributes to ECS
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Synaptic Plasticity
- Mood Disorders
Background:
- Mood disorders are associated with structural and functional abnormalities in the neostriatum.
- Electroconvulsive stimulation (ECS) is an effective treatment for acute mood disorders.
- Changes in striatal synaptic plasticity may underlie the therapeutic effects of ECS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of ECS on long-term depression (LTD) of excitatory inputs to striatal medium spiny neurons.
- To determine if ECS alters synaptic plasticity in the corticostriatal pathway.
Main Methods:
- Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were performed on rat corticostriatal slices.
- Excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) were evoked in medium spiny neurons via white matter stimulation.
- The impact of ECS treatment on LTD induction and metabotropic glutamate receptor function was assessed.
Main Results:
- Repeated stimulation trains induced LTD of excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) in striatal neurons.
- ECS treatment for one week impaired the induction of LTD in this pathway.
- ECS did not affect intrinsic membrane properties or spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs).
Conclusions:
- Impairment of LTD in excitatory cortical afferents to striatal neurons is a potential mechanism for ECS effectiveness in mood disorders.
- This finding is similar to observations with chronic lithium treatment, suggesting a shared pathway.