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. 2019 Feb;9(2):e01195.
doi: 10.1002/brb3.1195. Epub 2019 Jan 18.

Electroconvulsive treatment prevents chronic restraint stress-induced atrophy of the hippocampal formation-A stereological study

Johanne L Alemu  1 , Frederik Elberling  1   2 , Bushra Azam  1 , Bente Pakkenberg  1   3 , Mikkel V Olesen  1
Affiliations

Electroconvulsive treatment prevents chronic restraint stress-induced atrophy of the hippocampal formation-A stereological study

Johanne L Alemu et al. Brain Behav. 2019 Feb.

Abstract

Introduction: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is one of the most efficient treatments of major depressive disorder (MDD), although the underlying neurobiology remains poorly understood. There is evidence that ECT and MDD exert opposing effects on the hippocampal formation with respect to volume and number of neurons. However, there has been a paucity of quantitative data in experimental models of ECT and MDD.

Methods: Using design-based stereology, we have measured the effects of a stress-induced depression model (chronic restraint stress, CRS) and ECS on the morphology of the hippocampus by estimating the volume and total number of neurons in the hilus, CA1, and CA2/3, as well as in the entire hippocampus.

Results: We find that CRS induces a significant decrease in volume exclusively of the hilus and that ECS (CRS + ECS) blocks this reduction. Furthermore, ECS alone does not change the volume or total number of neurons in the entire hippocampus or any hippocampal subdivision in our rat model.

Keywords: cell numbers; chronic restraint stress; electroconvulsive stimulation; hippocampal volumes.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Representative histological image showing the dorsal hippocampus at ×1.25 magnification (a). Panels (b–d) show additional magnification (×60) of the CA1 (B), CA2/3 (c), and hilus (d). Arrows indicate neurons, and arrowheads indicate glial cells. Scale bars = 2,500 μm (a) and 50 μm (b–d)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Quantitative volumetric data (mm3) of the rat hippocampal formation including the hilus (a), CA1 (b), CA2/3 (c), and entire hippocampus (d). Horizontal bars represent mean values. Abbreviations: CRS, chronic restraint stress; ECS, electroconvulsive stimulation. *p < 0.05 (n = 10–12 per group)
Figure 3
Figure 3
Quantitative data of the total number of neurons (103) in the hilus (a), CA1 (b), and CA2/3 (c) of the rat hippocampus. Horizontal bars represent mean values. Abbreviations: CRS, chronic restraint stress; ECS, electroconvulsive stimulation (n = 10–12 per group)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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