Effect of Electroconvulsive Therapy on Serum Thrombospondin-1 Levels in Serious Mental Disorders

Objective: There is growing evidence that electroconvulsive therapy increases the expression of Thrombospondin (TSP)-1 and that its synaptogenic effect is likely related to TSP-1. The aim of this study was to define the role of TSP-1 in the effect of electroconvulsive therapy and to compare the TSP-1 level in serious mental disorders with healthy controls. Methods: Among male patients who were hospitalized with the diagnosis of bipolar disorder or schizophrenia and referred to the electroconvulsive therapy at hospital, 20 patients with acute episodes of schizophrenia, 10 patients with manic episodes of BD, and 28 gender- and age-matched healthy controls were included in the study. Results: While serum TSP-1 levels were significantly lower in patient group than in the control group (P =.008), post-electroconvulsive therapy serum TSP-1 levels were not significantly different from the control group (P =.116). There was no statistically significant difference in serum TSP-1 levels between before and after elec- troconvulsive therapy in the patients (P =.360). No correlation was established between serum concentrations of TSP-1 before and after electroconvulsive therapy and clinical or laboratory results. Conclusion: Based on the results of our study, significantly lower levels of serum TSP-1 in patients with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia compared to controls and the disappearance of the difference after electroconvulsive therapy suggests that TSP-1 may have a role in the mechanism of action of electro- convulsive therapy.