EFFECTS OF TRANSECTIONS OF CENTRAL NEURAXIS ON GALVANIC SKIN REFLEX IN ANESTHETIZED CATS

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Abstract
For understanding central nervous control of autonomic reflexes, observations were made on effects of transections of central neuraxis at different levels on intensity of galvanic skin reflex (GSR) in cats under chloralose-urethan anesthesia. GSR was evoked by stimulation of proximal stump of a severed cutaneous nerve, and recorded as a change in skin potential of foot-pads. In cats with intact brain, GSR reached a stable intensity level in 10-20 minutes and maintained it for 60-180 minutes under certain controlled conditions; removal of forebrain caused a 50-450 % increase in GSR intensity level; further removal of thalami according to method of Hinsey and Ranson induced another slight increase in GSR intensity, and an augmentation of both intensity and frequency of spontaneous potential waves of foot-pads for 60-120 minutes after operation; removal of forebrain and interbrain brought about a slow decline in intensity of GSR and its abolition in 90-250 minutes after operation; intercollicular decerebration called forth a sharp fall in intensity of GSR and its abolition in a short interval after operation. Significance of these results in terms of facilitation and inhibition of GSR by nervous structures at different levels of brain was discussed.

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