Whalley L J, Eagles J M, Bowler G M, Bennie J G, Dick H R, McGuire R J, Fink G
Psychol Med. 1987 May;17(2):319-28. doi: 10.1017/s0033291700024855.
The hypothesis that ECT produces selective effects on hypothalamic-pituitary activity was investigated by determining the effect of ECT on pituitary hormone release in nine depressed patients. After ECT there were massive and rapid increases in the plasma concentrations of nicotine- and oestrogen-stimulated neurophysin (NSN and ESN), prolactin (PRL) and adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), smaller increases in plasma luteinizing hormone (LH) and cortisol, a significant decrease in plasma growth hormone (GH) concentration but no change in plasma thyrotropin (TSH). There was significant attenuation of PRL responses with repeated ECT. The hormonal responses to ECT cannot simply be attributed to stress, since a similar pattern of increases in plasma hormone concentrations did not occur in psychologically normal patients in whom plasma hormone concentrations were measured during induction of anaesthesia and abdominal incision for cholecystectomy. Analysis of these hormonal responses in terms of the knowledge available on the neurotransmitter control of pituitary hormone release suggests that some of these hormonal responses to ECT may be mediated by the activation of serotonergic neurones, while others are probably due to direct stimulation of the neuroendocrine neurones themselves.
通过测定9名抑郁症患者接受电休克治疗（ECT）对垂体激素释放的影响，对ECT对下丘脑 - 垂体活动产生选择性作用这一假说进行了研究。ECT治疗后，尼古丁和雌激素刺激的神经垂体素（NSN和ESN）、催乳素（PRL）和促肾上腺皮质激素（ACTH）的血浆浓度大幅快速升高，血浆黄体生成素（LH）和皮质醇有较小幅度升高，血浆生长激素（GH）浓度显著降低，但血浆促甲状腺激素（TSH）无变化。重复进行ECT治疗后，PRL反应明显减弱。ECT引起的激素反应不能简单地归因于应激，因为在接受胆囊切除术麻醉诱导和腹部切口时测量血浆激素浓度的心理正常患者中，并未出现类似的血浆激素浓度升高模式。根据现有的关于垂体激素释放的神经递质控制的知识对这些激素反应进行分析表明，ECT引起的这些激素反应中，有些可能是由血清素能神经元的激活介导的，而其他反应可能是由于对神经内分泌神经元本身的直接刺激所致。
