CHRONIC FOCAL HYPER-IRRITABILITY OF SENSORY NERVOUS SYSTEM IN CATS

Abstract

Chronic focal hyperirritability of sensory cutaneous areas has been produced in cats by appln. of alumina cream to the spinal cord. The resultant hyperesthesia and hyperalgesia appears during the first 2 weeks following operation and is permanent for at least 18 mos. The stimuli of light touch, heavy touch or pain all become very disagreeable and apparently painful to the animal. Light touch has seemed to be the most disturbing. There is a hyper-reflcxia but no other change in motor status, and proprioception has remained normal. The condition which develops is similar in many ways to that seen following appln. of the same substance to the motor cortex of monkeys. In many respects it is like the causalgic state which is seen in man.