Open AccessPhysiological and anatomical evidence for the existence of nerve tracts connecting the hypothalamus with spinal sympathetic centres
Author(s) -
John W. Beattie,
G. R. Brow,
C. N. H. Long
Publication year - 1930
Publication title -
proceedings of the royal society of london. series b, containing papers of a biological character
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2053-9185
pISSN - 0950-1193
DOI - 10.1098/rspb.1930.0027
Subject(s) - hypothalamus , stimulation , reflex , medicine , sympathetic nerve , sympathetic nervous system , cats , anesthesia , heart rhythm , autonomic nervous system , heart rate , blood pressure
Levy* (1) in a series of papers has shown that in animals (chiefly cats) under chloroform anaesthesia the heart is particularly liable to show ventricular extrasystoles. These irregularities are often followed by fibrillation. He found that if the irregularity was not present it could be elicited easily by any form of sympathetic stimulation, either direct, reflexly, or through drugs, such as nicotine or adrenaline. Furthermore, removal of the sympathetic nerve supply to the heart along with removal of the adrenal glands rendered the heart immune to this phenomenon. After this procedure reflex stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system was ineffective, but injection of adrenaline readily reproduced the original series of events.