Effect of Barbiturates on Latent Motor Deficits

Abstract

Patients (144) were studied for motor weakness under sodium amytal injection, including 37 control patients. In none of these controls was a motor deficit elicited under the sodium amytal test. In the experimental group of patients with lesions involving part of the central nervous system which mediates motor function, injection of 150 to 500 mg of sodium amytal brought out motor weakness not elicited in premedica-tion examinations. A minimal or inconspicuous motor deficit was made more conspicuous under sodium amytal injection. The sodium amytal test is simple and sensitive for detecting motor weakness of central origin. The authors recommended it as a supplementary procedure whenever its use is indicated. A positive result indicates damage to the central nervous system.