[Serum prolactin response to electroconvulsive therapy in patients with major depression]

Serum prolactin (PRL) levels were determined at 30 min before and 5, 15, 30 and 60 min after the first and sixth electroconvulsive therapy (ECT-1 and ECT-6) in 12 female patients with major depression. There was a significant increase in serum PRL after ECT-1. The mean maximum PRL level was obtained at 30 min after ECT-1 and was 3.18 times of baseline level. The rate between mean maximum PRL level after and baseline before ECT-6 was 1.89 and was significantly lower than that during ECT-1. ECT-6 caused a significantly lower PRL release than did ECT-1 too. The possible mechanisms of produced these results were discussed.