Differential effects of electroconvulsive shock on the glutamate receptor mRNAs for NR2A, NR2B and mGluR5b

• Published in: Brain research. Molecular brain research. Vol. 61; no. 1; pp. 108 - 113
• Main Authors: Watkins, Clare J., Pei, Qi, Newberry, Nigel R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 30.10.1998; Elsevier
• Subjects: Anatomy, Cross-Sectional; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Brain - metabolism; Dentate Gyrus - chemistry; Electroconvulsive shock; Electroconvulsive therapy; Electroshock; Gene expression; Glutamate; Hippocampus - chemistry; In Situ Hybridization; Long-Term Potentiation - physiology; Male; Medical sciences; mRNA; Protein Isoforms - analysis; Protein Isoforms - genetics; Protein Isoforms - metabolism; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Receptor, Metabotropic Glutamate 5; Receptors, Glutamate - analysis; Receptors, Glutamate - genetics; Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate - analysis; Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate - genetics; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate - analysis; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate - genetics; RNA, Messenger - analysis; RNA, Messenger - biosynthesis; Seizure; Time Factors; Treatments; mRNA; Seizure; Gene expression; Glutamate; Electroconvulsive shock; Vertebrata; Dentate gyrus; Mammalia; Electroconvulsive therapy; Rat; Animal; Rodentia; Central nervous system; Glutamate receptor; Hippocampus; Brain (vertebrata)
• ISSN: 0169-328X; 1872-6941
• DOI: 10.1016/S0169-328X(98)00211-3

We have studied the effects of single and repeated electroconvulsive shock (ECS) treatment on the mRNA levels of several glutamate receptors in the dentate gyrus and CA1 regions of the rat brain. In the dentate gyrus, such treatment elevated the mRNAs for the NMDA subunits NR2A and NR2B, but it reduced the mRNA for the metabotropic glutamate receptor mGlu5b. With the exception of NR2A, this effect was specific to the dentate gyrus. The changes in NR2B mRNA lasted the longest, but all changes had returned to control values after 48 h. The possible significance of such changes to the antidepressant effect of ECT is discussed.