Central Nervous System Resistance

Abstract

In the first series of expts., intramusc. injns. of aqueous adrenocortical extracts protected cats against local edema produced in paired controls by exposure of the cerebral cortex to cold, as judged by EEG, trypan blue diffusion, and microscopic examination. In a 2d series (cat, rabbit, rat, and man) of intact, unanesthetized-curarized, and anesthetized animals (pentobarbital Na, urethane-ether, chloralose, "evipal," and "dial"), the effect of fatty and aqueous adrenocortical extracts and of desoxycorticos-terone aceate (intramusc. and intraven.) was to increase EEG amplitude markedly. Extracts accelerated, while DCA slowed, EEG rhythm. A patient suffering post-traumatic concussion syndrome was injected daily with aqueous extract; headaches, and slowing and irregularity of EEG, which had characterized the condition, disappeared. Physiologic and clinical significances of these findings are discussed. 8 refs.