In order to elucidate the functional significance of the spike and wave produced by electrical stimulation of VA and RET, electrophysiological study was carried out in rabbits and the following results were obtained.
1. On the arousal reaction, evoked muscular discharge of the fore and hind limbs, recruiting response, spike and wave caused by RET stimulation, barbiturate and chlorpromazine showed an inhibitory effect, cardiazol a facilitatory effect and morphine an intermediate effect of the two.
2. On the evoked muscular discharge observed in the fore and hind limbs by the stimulation of the cerebral cortex or hippocampus, all of the simultaneous stimulations at 3Hz,8Hz and 100Hz of RET showed an inhibitory effect, while in the case of VA, some showed a facilitatory effect, though some showed an inhibitory effect.
3. A parallelism was noted between the drug action on the effect of stimulation of VA and RET on the evoked muscular discharge produced by the stimulation of the cerebral cortex or hippocampus and that on the spike and wave.
4. In the experiment of the effect of stimulation at 3Hz on the average evoked potential noted in the cerebral cortex and brain stem reticular formation by the sciatic nerve stimulation, VA stimulation showed an inhibitory effect and RET stimulation a facilitatory effect on the early components of N
1and N
2.
5. On the H wave and M wave observed in the m. gastrocnemius tibialis by the tibial nerve stimulation, VA stimulation showed an inhibitory effect, but RET stimulation showed a facilitatory effect. On the nociceptive evoked muscular discharge observed in the tibialis anterior muscle by the tibial nerve stimulation, however, both VA and RET stimulations showed an inhibitory effect.
6. On the intestinal movement, VA stimulation at all frequencies of 3Hz,8Hz and 100Hz showed an inhibitory effect, while RET stimulation at 100Hz showed an inhibitory effect, though the stimulation at 3Hz showed a facilitatory effect.
It was concluded from the results obtained in the present study that the inhibitory effect from RET is shown on the efferent pathway, while that from VA is shown on the afferent pathway, proprioceptive reflex and intestinal movement and that which is involved in the manifestation of petit mal is VA.
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