Abstract
The present experimental study is designed to investigate the effect of massive dosages of corticosteroid on the cerebral function electrophysiologically in rabbit by means of electroencephalography and electromyography under normal hemodynamic condition and under hemorrhagic shock.
The shock was pro duced by means of an induced hemorrhage; the mean arterial blood pressure during the induced hemorrhagic shock was maintained at 50 mmHg.
A massive dosage of corticosteroid has an inhibiting effect on the cerebral function under normal hemodynamics, whereas it has facilitating effect on the cerebral function under hemorrhagic shock. As concerns when to administer corticosteroid, its administration after the hemorrhage was more effective than before the hemorrhage. However, corticosteroid administered after the critical point, point where the depressed cerebral function on electroencephalogram is demonstrated, is not effective. The critical point of the depressed cerebral function on the electroencephaloglam was observed about 120minutes after the fall of the mean arterial blood pressure to 50 mmHg and the threshold value rose up to 200 per cent. After this critical point comes the irreversible shock phase.
It may be correct to say that the effect on the brain of corticosteroid administered in shock could be opposite to that of corticosteroid administered in circulatory normalcy, and that it might effectively accelerate the central nervous function.
