Depression by chronic electroconvulsive treatment of clonidine hypotherma and [3H]clonidine binding to rat cortical membranes.

The effects of chronic electroconvulsive treatment (ECT) on the binding of [3H]clonidine and on clonidine-induced hypothermia were studied in the rat. After 10 consecutive daily treatments we observed a reduction in the hypothermic action of clonidine and a loss of the high affinity binding sites of clonidine, without changes of the low affinity binding sites. The present results are indicative of the down-regulation of alpha 2-adrenoceptors during chronic antidepressive treatment.