The Analeptic Action of Peripheral Electrical Stim

Authors: CHARLES H JONES PAUL H BLACHLY J M BROOKHART

Publish Date: 1955/05/01

Volume: 73, Issue: 5, Pages: 560-564

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Abstract

It has been reported by Hoffman and Wunsch1 and Riboli2 that electrical stimulation applied to the head will arouse patients from hypoglycemic coma Whereas Hoffman and Wunsch applied a pulsating direct current in the nonconvulsive method of Hirschfeld Riboli used a prolonged administration of lowvoltage alternating current of 50 to 80 ma These workers suggested that the return to consciousness was due to diencephalic stimulation by transcerebrally directed current This transcerebraldiencephalic stimulation theory is commonly mentioned in reports on nonconvulsive electroshock therapy and reports on the treatment of barbiturate coma by nonconvulsive techniques† With respect to barbiturateinduced coma this hypothesis has been seriously challenged by Blachly and Brookhart5 These investigators have found that the respiratory augmentation accompanying electrical stimulation can be ascribed solely to the activation of afferent nerves and that direct stimulation of the brain is not an essential element in the production of the response

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