Abstract
The interrelationships among the amplitude of primary evoked somatosensory responses, the recovery cycle of these responses and dose level of pentobarbital sodium were investigated. Although pentobarbital reduced both the amplitude and the degree of recovery of evoked potentials, only the recovery changes during the relative unresponsive period provided a dose sensitive indicator. Amplitude was affected only at maximum dose levels. These results were discussed in relation to previous work on the effects of state of alertness on the recovery cycle and to the formulation of King et al. (1957) with regard to the mechanism of action of barbiturates. It was concluded that state of alertness and barbiturates probably affect the recovery cycle through mechanisms in the brain stem reticular formation that are at least partially independent. Low doses of barbiturates probably affect reticular mechanisms controlling recovery and higher doses probably exert an additional, depressant action on the thalamic relay nuclei.
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