THE ELECTRICAL RESPONSE OF THE KITTEN AND ADULT CAT BRAIN TO CEREBRAL ANEMIA AND ANALEPTICS

Abstract

A gradual development of the frequency, regularity, and amplitude of the cortical electro-grams occurs during infancy as seen in kittens 2-6 days old, 19-25 days old and adult cats. Electrical activity may be induced in the comparatively silent brain of the 2-6 day old kitten either by metrazol or strychnine. Acoustic stimuli can also evoke cortical responses. The activity induced by metrazol in the kitten differs from that observed in the adult cat both as to central-electrical and peripheral-motor manifestations. The relative dose of metrazol (per unit body wt.) required to elicit an electrical or motor response is greater for the infant than the adult. After sudden excision of the heart, the persistence of cerebral electrical activity is longer in the 2-6 day old infant than the adult. By the 19th to 25th day this difference from the adult largely disappears. During complete cerebral anemia, the electrical response of the acoustic cortex to a sharp noise can be elicited for as long as 50-100 secs., at a time when spontaneous electrical activity has long ceased.