Modification of effects of chronic electroconvulsive shock by voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel blockade with nifedipine

A single electroconvulsive shock produced analgesia (expressed as prolongation of hot-plate latency) in Wistar rats 45 min after the shock. The analgesic action was prevented by administration of nifedipine, 5 mg/kg i.p., 15 min before the electroconvulsive shock, while nifedipine injection after electroconvulsive shock did not affect the analgesia significantly. At the same time single electroconvulsive shock counteracted the reduction of [3H]nitrendipine binding to cortical and hippocampal membranes from rats pretreated with nifedipine. Chronic administration of electroconvulsive shock (once daily for 8 days) produced hyperalgesia, augmented locomotor responses to low doses of apomorphine and upregulation of cortical (but not hippocampal) voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels (assessed from [3H]nitrendipine binding). In rats receiving electroconvulsive shock chronically, always 15 min after nifedipine injection, neither behavioral hyperresponsiveness nor Ca2+ channel upregulation was observed. The results suggest that the primary event in post-electroconvulsive shock analgesia depends on Ca2+ influx into neurons through voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels, and that given under conditions of Ca2+ channel blockade electroconvulsive shock is unable to trigger changes leading to Ca2+ channel upregulation, and this is possibly the reason for prevention of development of hyperalgesia and increased responsiveness to dopaminergic stimulation.