SKIN POTENTIAL AND IMPEDANCE RESPONSES WITH RECURRING SHOCK STIMULATION

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Abstract
It has been held that wave form of electrical responses from palm-dorsum electrodes reflect sympathetic-parasympathetic balance, and that it arises from a single response mechanism. Electrical response potentials were recorded from the skin of the palm and of the dorsum of the hand separately with string galvanometer, with high resistance, balanced input amplifier and with cathode ray recording from an alternating current bridge. Electrodes were zinc, zinc sulphate and insulated hypodermic needle. The potentials from each area were similar and consisted of a negative a potential followed by a positive b potential. The b potential overlapped the a. Records in which the 2 areas were connected in series summated the potentials from each area and therefore masked the individual wave forms. The latencies of the a potential from single areas ranged from 0.6 to 2 sec. The a wave occurred with both weak and strong shocks while the b response entered with strong stimuli especially when they were such as to cause apprehension. Individuals showed differences in the ease of reinstatement of the b response. Both potentials showed summation. The impedance response occurred with both a and b potentials. In string galvanometer records the resistance response at times distorted the wave form so that such records from 2 reacting skin areas in series may be summations of both potential and resistance responses. The sympathetic sudorific mechanism is known to be the source of an electrical potential and resistance response of the skin and the b potential shows the diffuse character to be expected of a sympathetic response. It is suggested that in a single skin area, the b potential is connected with the sudorific mechanism, and that the a potential represents a 2d somewhat independent nervous response mechanism.

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