Abstract
Summary
(1) A method is described for obtaining a suitably de-afferented preparation with intact brain stem in the unanesthetized cat whose resting EEG pattern is well “deactivated” and ideally suited to pharmacological and neurosurgical analysis of adrenergic and cholinergic components of the “reticular activating system,” free from extraneous pharmacological influences. (2) Preliminary observations with both adrenergic and cholinergic agents suggest that complete temporal independence can be shown between onset and termination of action of “activating” agents introduced directly by intra-innominate administration and vascular effects of these agents as reflected in blood pressure alterations. (3) Advantages of this preparation over those commonly used for drug-induced EEG “activation” are reported. (4) This method currently is being used for further anatomical exploration of adrenergic and cholinergic components of pathways leading to diffuse “activation” of the electro-corticogram, and for studying the influence of psycho-tropic drugs on these systems.
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