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European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience

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01-12-2017 | Original Paper

Electroconvulsive therapy enhances endocannabinoids in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with major depression: a preliminary prospective study

Authors: Laura Kranaster, Carolin Hoyer, Suna Su Aksay, Jan Malte Bumb, F. Markus Leweke, Christoph Janke, Manfred Thiel, Beat Lutz, Laura Bindila, Alexander Sartorius

Published in: European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience | Issue 8/2017

Abstract

Despite the lack of clinical data about the role of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in affective disorders, preclinical work suggests that the ECS is relevant in both with regard to the etiology of depression as well as the mediation of antidepressant effects. We measured the intraindividual levels of the endocannabinoids N-arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) in the cerebrospinal fluid of 12 patients suffering from a major depressive episode before and after the antidepressant treatment by electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). AEA was significantly elevated after ECT as compared to baseline. The AEA increase positively correlated with the number of individually performed ECT sessions. Although the sample size was small and confounders were not rigorously controlled for, our finding corroborates preclinical work and should encourage further exploration of the involvement of the ECS in depressive disorder.

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Title: Electroconvulsive therapy enhances endocannabinoids in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with major depression: a preliminary prospective study
Authors: Laura Kranaster
Carolin Hoyer
Suna Su Aksay
Jan Malte Bumb
F. Markus Leweke
Christoph Janke
Manfred Thiel
Beat Lutz
Laura Bindila
Alexander Sartorius
Publication date: 01-12-2017
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in: European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience / Issue 8/2017
Print ISSN: 0940-1334
Electronic ISSN: 1433-8491
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-017-0789-7

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Electroconvulsive therapy enhances endocannabinoids in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with major depression: a preliminary prospective study

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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