The functional chronology in developing chick nervous system

✍ Scribed by Peters, Joseph J. ;Vonderahe, Alphonse R. ;Powers, Thomas H.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1956
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 745 KB
• Volume: 133
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0022-104X
• DOI: 10.1002/jez.1401330306

✦ Synopsis

The chick embryo is a favorable subject for the study of transitional stages during which the vertebrate nervous system gradually acquires spontaneous electrical activity aiid becomes susceptible to induced seizures. For the embryologist the electroencephalography of the chick embryo adds a physiological complement to anatomical studies : for the neurologist these data provide a new tool for the investigation of the ancient but still unsolvcd problem of epilepsy. I n studies of developing embryos, curare has been used as a physiological device to disengage neuromuscular circuits and thus distinguish between neurogenic and myogenic movements (Tuge, '37) ; contrariwise, in this investigation metrazol and EEG have been used to test the closure of sensory-motor circuits and the physiological status of various regions of the nervous system. The present investigation yields new data in regard to the successive maturing of different parts of the nervous system and the role of different regions of the brain in seizure phenomena withont recourse to surgical ablation.