Effects of chronic electroconvulsive shock on interstitial concentrations of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens

There is accumulating evidence that chronic electroconvulsive shock (ECS) can increase the functional output of central dopaminergic systems. The present experiments investigated the effects of acute and chronic ECS on interstitial concentrations of dopamine (DA) in the nucleus accumbens (NAC) using in vivo microdialysis in awake freely moving rats. ECS (150 V, 0.75 s) increased interstitial concentrations of DA, DOPAC and HVA to approximately 130% of baseline values. The magnitude of the ECS-induced increase in DA was not affected by chronic ECS. In contrast, the response of the DA metabolites was attenuated in the chronic ECS group. Chronic ECS did not influence apomorphine (25 micrograms/kg, SC)-induced decreases in extracellular concentrations of DA or its metabolites in the NAC, thus providing no support for the hypothesis that chronic ECS produces subsensitivity of DA autoreceptors. d-Amphetamine (1.5 mg/kg SC)-induced increases in extracellular DA were significantly prolonged in the NAC of the chronic ECS group. In accordance with previous reports, the locomotor stimulant effects of d-amphetamine were also enhanced in the chronic ECS group. These data provide further evidence that chronic ECS can increase certain behavioral and neurochemical indices of meso-accumbens DA function.