Effect of Electro Convulsion Therapy (ECT) on the Human Growth Hormone (HGH) response was observed in 32 cases of various mental illness. The patients were fasting overnight and ECT was induced in the morning by application of 90 ~ 120V for a period of 0.1 ~ 0.5 sec. In all patients, venous blood samples were taken prior to simultaneously with 1 and 4 hours after the ECT. Plasma was immediately seperated and stored in -20℃ refrigerator. HGH concentrantion was determined by means of radioimmunoassay Results were as follows: 1. Application of electric current was not followed by a significant change in mean plasma HGH of 52 cases. 2 Increases of plasma HGH following ECT were observed in about half cases showing low initial level but in 20 other cases with high initial level of plasma HGH, reasonable decreases after therapy were not found. 3. Plasma concentration of HGH one hour after application of current were always higher than just after the current. 4. There were no differences between HGH responses to a 1st, 2nd or 5th ECT. 5. Discussions were made on the possible modification of HGH response following ECT by the autoregulatory control mechanism.
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