On the Mechanism of the Cardiazol Convulsion

Abstract

The experiments described in this paper were performed in an attempt to elucidate the mechanism of the convulsion following the administration of cardiazol (pentamethylenetetrazol). The paper is divided into four sections—a description of experiments, a résumé of the relevant pharmacology of cardiazol, a discussion and a summary.

Shock therapy: psychologic theory and research.

“…Denyssen and Watterson (29) believe that the convulsion following cardiazol injections is due to sudden vasoconstriction, but Georgi (46) thinks that the pathogenic factor in the initiation of convulsion is not to be found in a primary vasospasm but in the ionic change at the cell membranes, and he has suggestively demonstrated that the ionic changes occur only when the cardiazol injection is sufficient to produce a generalised convulsion. This is possibly significant in that it is generally accepted that subconvulsive reactions are therapeutically much less effective than are total convulsive reactions, although the contention of Polatin, Spotnitz, and VViesel (116) that in the insulin procedure hypoglycemia alone without coma or convulsion is adequate to bring about remissions must be kept in mind.…”