ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHIC STUDIES ON HYDROCORTISONE AND DESOXYCORTICOSTERONE WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE ACTION OF PHYSOSTIGMINE AND STRYCHNINE IN THE RABBIT

摘要

References(16) Cited-By(2) It is well-known that the adrenal glucocorticoids produce the electroencephalographic abnormalities such as paroxysmal bursts and seizures in human (1-3). Feldman et al. (4) have reported that hydrocortisone activates the evoked multisynaptic potentials in the brainstem reticular formation of the intact and adrenalectomized cats. In the rats, Woodbury et al. (5) have demonstrated that desoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) elevates the threshold for the electroshock seizure but hydrocortisone lowers it significantly. Further, Woodbury (6) and Vernadakis et al. (7) have suggested that the increased brain excitability by hydrocortisone relates to depletion of gamma-aminobutyric acid in the central nervous system. The behavioral and electroencephalographic studies on dexamethasone in rabbits have already been described elsewhere (8). The intravenously administered dexamethasone produced a considerable alertness both in behavior and spontaneous EEG lasting for about 20 minutes. The compound activated the reticular and thalamic arousal responses, but did not modify the recruiting response. The present report is also an attempt to study the effects of hydrocortisone and DOCA on the EEG as well as on the responses of the EEG to physostigmine and strychnine in the unanesthetized but restrained rabbits.