THE INCREASE OF CIRCULATING THYROTROPHIN AND THE ACTIVATION OF THE THYROID BY MEANS OF ELECTROSHOCK IN GUINEA PIGS

Abstract

Six guinea pigs given electroshocks were bled and sacrificed 30 minutes later. The blood was pooled, extracted by the Fellinger method and the extract injected into another group of guinea pigs, also sacrificed 30 minutes later. The thyroids and hypophyses were studied by cytological techniques. Electroshock produced an activation of the thyroid greater than that obtained by the injection of 0.001 Junkmann- Schoeller units of thyrotropin. The increase of circulating thyrotropin was of the order of 0.0001 units/2 ml of blood. This increase was considered insufficient for the thyroid activation noted. Hypophyseal cytology showed a loss of specific granulation in the cells considered to be the source of thyrotropin.