Experimental study on Intraspinal Conduction of Convulsion in Cats

Unit activity was recorded with intraspinal microelectrodes for investigating the modes of intraspinal conduction of metrazol convulsion in cats, in which succinyl choline chloride was injected to avoid the artefact caused by convulsion. 1) In the early stage, i. e. the tonic convulsion, small spikes about 200 p.s. were seen on the flat base line. 2) In the clonic convulsion, there were seen about 4 to 6 p.s. slow waves, on which about 200 p.s. small spikes and 20 p.s. fast waves were also observed. 3) The 4 to 6 p.s. slow waves corresponded with the rhythm and the time of appearance of the gross clonic movement. 4) The 20 p.s. fast waves corresponded with the rhythm and the time of appearance of the minute clonic spasm of the muscle, which was only seen in the stage of flexion of the clonic convulsion. 5) The 200 p.s. small spikes could only be recorded from the lateral fascicle, while the 4 to 6 p.s. slow waves could also be obtained even from the anterior fascicle. 6) The 4 to 6 p.s. slow waves synchronized with the electroencephalogram were simultaneously recorded, 7) These patterns of convulsive activity were obtained not only from the lateral fascicle of the thoracic cord, but also from the pyramidal decussation of the medulla and the lateral fascicle of the lumbar cord, and were considered to have their origin in the center above the medulla.