Abstract
The central mechanism of animal hypnosis was investigated in correlation with that of acupuncture analgesia by measuring the duration of animal hypnosis (DAH) induced by inversion of rabbits.
DAH and analgesia during inversion were not influenced by naloxone, an opiate antagonist. DAH was prolonged by stimulation of the dorsal periaqueductal central gray or by administration of morphine and this effect was abolished by naloxone or by the lesion of acupuncture afferent pathway such as the lateral septum or the anterior hypothalamus.
DAH was shortened by methysergide, a serotonergic blocker, and it was extremely prolonged by tetrabenazine, a monoamine depletor.
The lesion of lateral portion of the fourth ventricle in the dorsal pons shortened DAH.
From these results, it was concluded that the central mechanism of animal hypnosis was different from that of acupuncture analgesia, but was modified by acupuncture afferent pathways and hence by endogenous morphiue like factor which was liberated by activation of acupuncture afferent pathway.
