Abstract
THOUGH the general effects produced by tetanus toxin on the nervous system have been reported by many investigators, there is still no precise evidence as to its mode of action1. Sherrington2 pointed out that tetanus toxin closely resembles strychnine in many of its effects, and postulated that both substances convert synaptic inhibition into excitation. Recently3, it has also been found that tetanus toxin resembles strychnine in that the monosynaptic tendon jerk is but little affected by moderate dosage. Since it has now been shown that strychnine acts specifically by diminishing all types of synaptic inhibitory action4,5, it was of interest to investigate the action of tetanus toxin on synaptic inhibition.
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References
Wright, G. Payling, Brit. Med. Bull., 10, 59 (1954).
Sherrington, C. S., “The Integrative Action of the Nervous System” (Yale University Press, New Haven, 1906).
Davies, J. R., Morgan, R. S., Wright, E. A., and Wright, G. Payling, Arch. Int. Physiol., 62, 248 (1954).
Bradley, K., Easton, D. M., and Eccles, J. C., J. Physiol., 122, 474 (1953).
Eccles, J. C., Fatt, P., and Koketsu, K., J. Physiol. (in the press).
Eccles, J. C., Fatt, P., and Landgren, S., Aust. J. Sci., 16, 130 (1954).
Brooks, V. B., J. Physiol., 123, 501 (1954).
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BROOKS, V., CURTIS, D. & ECCLES, J. Mode of Action of Tetanus Toxin. Nature 175, 120–121 (1955). https://doi.org/10.1038/175120b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/175120b0
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