Effects of electroconvulsive therapy on neuropsychological function and circulating levels of ACTH, cortisol, prolactin, and TSH in patients with major depressive illness

Thirteen patients with major depressive illness received unilateral electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Memory and some other neuropsychological functions were studied concomitantly with changes in clinical symptoms. ACTH in plasma and cortisol, prolactin (PRL) and TSH in serum were measured 30 min before and 1, 5, 15, 30 and 60 min after treatment. Memory functions, impaired after the ECT series, were completely regained 1 month later. ACTH, cortisol, PRL and TSH were significantly increased by ECT. The maximum hormone level after ECT was lower at the last ECT in the series as compared with the first. After the last treatment, nonverbal memory performance was negatively associated with the maximum ACTH level after ECT and verbal learning was negatively correlated to the maximum cortisol level. The reason for these relationships is not known. Since both the ACTH secretion and memory function may be dependent upon the intracerebral catecholamines, the present findings may reflect variations in central monoaminergic receptor function.