Abstract
Conclusions
1. Both free and total acetylcholine content of the whole rat brain are higher after nembutal or chloroform anesthesia (diffuse diminution of activity) than in the unanesthetized animal. The free acetylcholine change is more convincing after chloroform, whereas the total acetylcholine change is more convincing after nembutal. The total acetylcholine content of the frog brain is similarly elevated after nembutal.
2. Neither free nor total acetylcholine content of rat brain differed significantly after the onset of strychnine or picrotoxin convulsions (diffuse increase of activity) from that found in quiet animals awake. Nor did strychnine alter total acetylcholine content of the frog brain.
3. With the methods used, normal whole rat brain has been found to contain about 0.7 μg of free and 2.9 μg of total acetylcholine per gram wet weight; frog brain about 4.9 μg of total acetylcholine per gram.
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