Effect of Electroconvulsive Therapy on Anxiety in Linear and Non-Linear Rats with Depressive-Like Disorders Induced by Ultrasound Stimulation.

We performed a comparative study of the effect of electroconvulsive therapy on anxiety in outbred rats and Sprague-Dawley rats with depressive-like disorder induced by exposure to ultrasound of variable frequency (20-45 Hz). The anxiogenic effect of therapy was revealed in elevated plus maze and open-field tests in both linear and non-lineal rats, but was more pronounced in linear animals. Differences between outbred rats and Sprague-Dawley rats by the anxiety level were demonstrated. These results suggest that electroconvulsive therapy should be used with cautious in patients with depression and comorbid anxiety disorders. Pronounced behavioral differences between linear and non-linear rats should be considered when choosing optimal experimental object in this research field.