Thyroxin injection with associated increases in metabolic rate does not significantly affect simple reaction time to an electric shock. Hypophysectomy and thyroidectomy with associated decreases in metabolic rate produce a slight decline in reaction speed. Reaction time is long in young animals, probably due to incomplete development of certain integrative and conductive systems; it remains virtually constant between puberty and relatively advanced age when it increases rapidly, probably due to physicochemical changes in the composition of the conducting nervous system.
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