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The action of tetanus toxin on preganglionic sympathetic reflex discharges

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Summary

  1. 1.

    Tetanus toxin (0.5–1.0 MLD) has been injected in cats into the internal intercostal muscle of the third costal interspace.

  2. 2.

    In spinalized cats, 24 h after toxin injection the early discharge on the tetanus side had an amplitude up to ten times higher than on the control side. The coefficient of variation decreased only slightly. The peak latency remained unchanged.

  3. 3.

    The increase of reflex discharges into the white ramus in local tetanus depended on the dosis of toxin injected.

  4. 4.

    The inhibition exerted on an IC3/WR3 reflex by a preceding stimulus to the IC2 or IC4 nerve was abolished or greatly reduced on the tetanus side only.

  5. 5.

    The disinhibition of sympathetic reflex discharges in local tetanus depended on the dosis of toxin injected.

  6. 6.

    In cats with intact neuraxis, the amplitude of the late discharge was higher on the tetanus side than on the control side.

  7. 7.

    Conditioning experiments in cats with intact neuraxis gave complex results indicating a partial disinhibition.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pharmakologisches Institut der Justus Liebig-Universität Gießen, Gießen, Germany

    G. H. Paar & H. H. Wellhöner

Authors
  1. G. H. Paar
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  2. H. H. Wellhöner
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This work was supported by Grant No. We 479/2 from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.

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Paar, G.H., Wellhöner, H.H. The action of tetanus toxin on preganglionic sympathetic reflex discharges. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. 276, 437–445 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00499896

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00499896

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