FACTOR OF HYPOXIA IN THE SHOCK THERAPIES OF SCHIZOPHRENIA

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Abstract
Observations1 on the physiologic changes occurring during the insulin treatment of schizophrenia have disclosed a diminished cerebral metabolism. Less oxygen is removed from each hundred cubic centimeters of blood passing through the brain, and the blood flow is somewhat diminished.2 In other studies made on patients receiving the metrazol treatment decreased oxygen saturation of arterial hemoglobin during the treatment was noted.3 This procedure, therefore, also causes decreased brain metabolism due not to an absence of sugar but to the lack of oxygen necessary to combine with dextrose. As a result of these observations another method was devised which also decreases cerebral metabolism.4 The patients are subjected to short periods of nitrogen inhalation. Under these conditions, too, a fall in the saturation of arterial hemoglobin is observed.5 Since the aforementioned studies have been published, the severity of the metrazol convulsions has been ameliorated by the use