Images in electroconvulsive therapy: ECS dose-dependently increases cell proliferation in the subgranular region of the rat hippocampus.

Stress and depression are associated with impaired neuroplasticity in the hippocampus; there is a decrease in neurogenesis, which is hypothesized to decrease the adaptative competence of the organism. Representative light microscopy images are presented which show that 6 once-daily electroconvulsive shocks (ECS), dose-dependently increased new cell formation in the subgranular region of the hippocampus in healthy adult male Wistar rats (10 sections per rat, 3 rats in each of sham ECS, 10 mC, and 40 mC groups). These neuroplasticity changes, demonstrated 1 month after the last ECS, may explain a part of the mechanism of action of electroconvulsive therapy in conditions such as depression.

Images in electroconvulsive therapy: electroconvulsive shocks dose-dependently increase dendritic arborization in the CA1 region of the rat hippocampus.

Stress and depression are associated with impaired neuroplasticity in the hippocampus: there is decreased dendritic arborization and synaptogenesis, which is hypothesized to explain decreased adaptive competence of the organism. Representative light microscopy images are presented that show that 6 once-daily electroconvulsive shocks (ECSs) dose-dependently increased dendritic arborization in the CA1 region of the hippocampus in healthy, adult, male Wistar rats (n = 10 in each of sham, 10-mC, and 40-mC ECS groups). These neuroplasticity changes, identified 1 month after the last ECS, may explain a part of the mechanism of action of electroconvulsive therapy in conditions such as depression.

Electroconvulsive therapy attenuates dendritic arborization in the basolateral amygdala.

Stress and depression are associated with aberrant neuroplasticity in the amygdala: there is increased dendritic arborization and synaptogenesis, perhaps explaining the increased anxiety and fear that are often apparent in depressed patients. Light microscopy images are presented, which show that 6 once-daily high (but not low)-dose electroconvulsive shocks attenuated dendritic arborization in the basolateral amygdala of Wistar rats, which changes were apparent even 1 month after the last electroconvulsive shock. These changes may explain a part of the mechanism of action of electroconvulsive therapy in conditions such as depression and posttraumatic stress disorder.