THE FRIGHT REACTION AFTER SECTION OF THE FACIAL, TRIGEMINAL AND CERVICAL SYMPATHETIC NERVES

Abstract

Contractions in denervated facial or ocular muscles induced by fright were neither abolished nor diminished by resection of combinations of nerves, from the 3d to the 12th cranial nerves inclusive, and by simultaneous extirpation of the entire ipsilateral cervical sympathetic chain. These findings exclude the possibility that the "fright reaction" is due to a local secretion of acetyl-cholin. Minimal contractions in these denervated muscles could be reproduced by intraven. injs. of acetylcholin in cones, less than 1 [image] 10-9. Such small amts. of acetylcholin would be technically difficult to recover from blood. Intra-cranial section of the trigeminal nerve caused the ipsilateral pupillary dilator fibers to be sensitive to adrenalin.