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Abstract

Objectives:To obtain the data regarding the effects of sodium valproate on enhancement of monoamines mediated behavioural responses following administration of ECS for ten days to rats. Methods: Forty rats were selected for the study in which tonic-clonic seizures were developed fully after giving single maximal electroconvulsive shock (150V, 210mA). Four groups (n= ten in each) were received different treatment(duration= Ten days) 1) Control group-distilled water (2ml daily) 2) ECS pretreated group-single ECS daily 3) Valproate group-valproate suspension(5.4 mg/kg/day, p.o.) 4) Test group-Single ECS daily + valproate suspension one hour after ECS((5.4mg/kg/day, p.o.). Following behavioural studies were done on Day eleven -apomorphine induced stereotypy, lithium induced head twitches and clonidine induced sedation to study dopaminergic, serotonergic and noradrenergic functions respectively. Results: All Three scores i.e. apomorphine induced stereotypy; lithium induced head twitches and clonidine induced sedation were statistically significantly increased in ECS pretreated group as compared to control group. Apomorphine induced stereotypy score & lithium induced head twitches were statistically significantly decreased in test group as compared to ECS pretreated group. However there was no statistically significant difference in the clonidine induced sedation score between ECS pretreated and test group. Conclusion: ECS for ten days significantly enhanced the dopaminergic, serotonergic and noradrenergic mediated responses mimicking the role of ECT in treatment of depression. Sodium valproate decreases the activity of dopaminergic, serotonergic system and has no significant effect on noradrenergic system. This may play a role in therapeutic efficacy of valproate in various other CNS diseases.