IN-VIVO CYCLIC-AMP RESPONSES IN RAT-BRAIN ARE NOT MODIFIED BY CHRONICELECTROCONVULSIVE SHOCK

In vivo microdialysis was used to determine the effects of chronic ele ctroconvulsive shock (ECS), given daily for 10 days, on the cyclic AMP (cAMP) responses to noradrenaline (NA) and to forskolin in the cortex of freely-moving conscious rats. Microdialysis probes were inserted o n the final day of ECS administration, and cAMP responses measured the following day. Chronic ECS did not modify the responses to either NA or forskolin. These results differ markedly from those previously obta ined with incubated slices of rat brain. It is concluded that care is needed in interpreting results obtained by either ex vivo or in vitro methods. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.