OXYTOCIN AND PROLACTIN-RELEASE AFTER ELECTROCONVULSIVE-THERAPY - A PILOT-STUDY

This pilot study was conducted to confirm earlier reports of increased prolactin and oxytocin levels after seizures induced by electroconvul sive therapy (ECT). Blood was drawn at 5, 10, 15, 30, and 60 minutes p ost-seizure from seven psychiatric inpatients with major depressive di sorder or mixed bipolar disorder who underwent ECT as part of their cl inical treatment. There was a significant increase in prolactin levels at 15 minutes and oxytocin levels at 5 minutes compared with the leve ls at 60 minutes, These hormone elevations in such a small sample size attest to the robustness of our findings.