ACETYLCHOLINE AND CONVULSIVE ACTIVITY

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Abstract
Investigation of the effects of cholinesterase-inhibiting substances and a stable acetylcholine homologue on the convulsive activity of the cat''s cerebral cortex yielded the following results: Eserine injected intraven. or applied directly to the exposed cortex was found to facilitate the convulsive response to a series of widely different chemical substances. This facilitation was characterized by a more rapid onset of convulsive activity, more frequent convulsive spikes, the elicitation of spikes by the combined application of eserine and the convulsant substance when the latter was ineffective by itself, and the re-evocation of convulsive activity on application of eserine to a previously spiking area which had apparently recovered from the effect of the convulsant substance. Intraven. injected prostigmine, like eserine, exerted a facilitating effect on convulsive activity in doses which were without significant effect on blood pressure or heart rate. Mecholyl applied to the cortex in conjunction with convulsant substances augmented their effect in a way similar to that descr. for eserine. These results are interpreted as indicating a significant role of acetylcholine in the processes underlying cortical convulsive activity. Di-isopropyl fluorophosphate was without effect on convulsive activity whether admd. intraven. or applied directly to the cortex. The possible causes of this unexpected result with DFP are still under investigation.