Cellular mechanisms of hippocampal volume increase induced by electroconvulsive therapy

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K20911
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0902:General internal medicine and related fields
• Research Institution: Keio University
• Principal Investigator: TAKAMIYA Akihiro 慶應義塾大学, 医学部(信濃町), 特任助教 (40912142)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-08-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 電気けいれん療法 / 海馬

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of this research is to investigate the effect of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), the most effective psychiatric treatment, on the hippocampal structure by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histological analysis. Our result revealed that an animal model of ECT induced MRI-detectable hippocampal volume increase, which is in line with findings from human studies. Furthermore, we identified increased neurogenesis, increased synaptic density, dendritic arborization, and increase in the spines in the brain regions showing volume increase.

Free Research Field

精神医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ECTは特にうつ病に対して最も高い有効性と即効性にある治療法だが、その作用機序にはわかっていない点も多い。本研究は人対象の研究からわかってきたMRIの海馬体積増大という現象をマウスでも再現することに成功した。ここから、人対象では調べることが不可能なMRIの変化部位のミクロな構造変化まで迫ることができ、より詳細なECTの作用部位の特定に進むことができる。そこからECTと同等の高い有効性の新たな治療法開発につながる可能性がある。