Electroconvulsive seizures induce angiogenesis in adult rat hippocampus

Background: Electroconvulsive seizure (ECS)-treatment, a model for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been shown to induce proliferation of endothelial cells in the dentate gyrus (DG) of adult rats. Here we quantified the net angiogenic response after hypoxia a known inducer of aniogenesis. Therefore we also examined the effect of oxygenation on ECS-induced proliferation of endothelial cells. Methods: Total endothelial cell numbers and vessel length were estimated utilizing design based stereological analysis methods. Endothelial cell proliferation in the DG after ECS with or withouy oxygenation was assessed using bromodeoxyuridine. Results: The total number of endothelial cell numbers and vessels lenght was increased. Oxygenation did not abolish the ECS-induced proliferation of endothelial cells in the DG. Conclusions: ECS-treatment induces a dramatic increase in endothelial cell proliferation leading to a 30% increase in the total numberof endothelial cells. The increase in cell number resulted i na 16% increase in vessel length. These findings raise the possibility that similar vascular growth is induced by clinically administered ECT.