Electroconvulsive Therapy Induces Dopaminergic Axon Regeneration, Corticostriatal Remodeling, and Restoration of Motor Function in Parkinsonian Mice.

ABSTRACT: Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the progressive degeneration of midbrain dopaminergic neurons with loss of axonal dopamine neurotransmission in the dorsal striatum, leading to striatal circuit dysfunction and debilitating motor symptoms. Current therapies provide symptomatic relief but do not restore lost neuronal function. Decades of clinical observations have reported the unexpected observation that electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), a standard treatment for refractory neuropsychiatric disorders, can incidentally alleviate motor symptoms in PD patients, yet the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we report that in the unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) mouse model of PD, two weeks of repeated ECT produced robust and sustained motor recovery, with improvements in loc

SUBMITTER: Frank A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12715545 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature