No access

Article

Published Online: March 1949

THE CAROTID SINUS IN NEUROPSYCHIATRIC CASES : Clinical, Electroencephalographic, and Electrocardiographic Studies

MILTON GREENBLATT, MAX RINKEL, and HARRY C. SOLOMONAuthors Info & Affiliations

Publication: American Journal of Psychiatry

Volume 105, Number 9

https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.105.9.673

Get Access

Abstract

The electroencephalographic, electrocardiographic, and clinical effects of carotid sinus stimulation, unilaterally and bilaterally, were studied in 122 individuals.

In every case in whom satisfactory carotid sinus compression was performed cardiac slowing or asystole was obtained immediately. One-fourth of the cases showed asystoles, usually 3-5 seconds in duration but varying up to 9 seconds.

In 66% of the cases high voltage 3 per second slow waves appeared abruptly in the EEG diffusely and symmetrically, after 10 seconds of sustained forceful compression of the carotid sinuses.

In 6o% of the cases unconsciousness with a short tonic-clonic seizure occurred immediately after the appearance of the slow-wave discharge. The seizure lasted 5-15 seconds, with recovery immediate and complete.

These effects of compression could be repeated many times with remarkable consistency without any cumulative or permanent effects upon the EEG or EKG.

Compression of the common carotid arteries below the bifurcation produced immediate acceleration of the heart. The central effects were obtained after approximately 10 seconds of sustained compression and were similar to those obtained by carotid sinus compression.

Elevation of blood pressure reduces the central effect of carotid sinus compression. Electric shock and prefrontal lobotomy facilitate the central effect of carotid sinus compression.

The central effects of carotid sinus compression described above are thought to be due largely to interference with the carotid circulation to the brain.

Get full access to this article

View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.

Get Access

Information & Authors

Information

Published In

American Journal of Psychiatry

Volume 105 • Number 9 • March 1949

Pages: 673 - 681

PubMed: 18111194

History

Published in print: March 1949

Published online: 1 April 2006

Authors

Affiliations

MILTON GREENBLATT

The Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, and the Boston Psychopathic Hospital.

View all articles by this author

MAX RINKEL

The Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, and the Boston Psychopathic Hospital.

View all articles by this author

HARRY C. SOLOMON

The Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, and the Boston Psychopathic Hospital.

View all articles by this author

Metrics & Citations

Metrics

Citations

Export Citations

If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.

For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu.

Format	RIS (ProCite, Reference Manager) EndNote BibTex Medlars RefWorks
Direct importt
Citation style
Style

Copy to clipboard
Tips for downloading citations

There are no citations for this item

View Options

Get Access

Login options

Already a subscriber? Access your subscription through your login credentials or your institution for full access to this article.

Personal login Institutional Login Open Athens login

Purchase Options

Purchase this article to access the full text.

PPV Articles - American Journal of Psychiatry

Not a subscriber?

Subscribe Now / Learn More

PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5-TR^® library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.

Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).

THE CAROTID SINUS IN NEUROPSYCHIATRIC CASES : Clinical, Electroencephalographic, and Electrocardiographic Studies

Abstract

Get full access to this article