Effect of Intravenously Administered Strychnine on the Wulst EEG of Conscious Adult Chickens

The influence of strychnine on behavior and on the Wulst EGG has been studied in conscious adult hens. Marked changes in behavior were not induced by 0.1 mg./kg. strychnine, but convulsions were produced by 0.5–5 mg./kg. strychnine in the adult hen. This demonstrated that threshold spiking in the EEG was shown with 1 mg./kg. intravenous dose of strychnine, and that strychnine spikes with large amplitude (1–2 mV.) could be induced by 2–5 mg./kg. intravenous doses of strychnine in conscious restrained hens as well as curarized adults. The present experiment indicated that the complete administration of high doses of strychnine into the blood stream is important for eliciting spikes in both conscious and curarized birds, and that artificial respiration is likewise important for the demonstration of strychnine spikes in the EEG of conscious hens.