ECT and TRH: Cholinergic involvement in a cognitive deficit state

In this paper we describe the findings from two preliminary experiments, a human and an animal study, investigating whether thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) can mitigate electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)-induced cognitive deficits. Our results suggest further explorations of TRH and its analogs as possible therapeutic agents for these deficits. We speculate that the major cause of the ECT-induced cognitive deficits is a decrease in cholinergic transmission in the central nervous system. Treatments such as TRH, which enhance cholinergic activity, can reverse the cognitive deficits.