Modificationsélectro-encéphalographiques, électro-dermographiques et électro-myographiques provoquées par la chlorpromazine chez l'homme

Abstract

The authors have studies the electroencephalograms (EEG), electrodermograms (EDG) and electromyograms (EMG) in 2 neurotics, 2 psychotics, 5 psychomotor epileptics, 1 case of petit mal, 1 patient with autonomic epilepsy, 1 case of post-encephalitic Parkinson, and in 1 patient suffering from generalised tic, during and after the slow intra-venous injection of chlorpromazine (4560 RP) from 25 to 50 mg. They observed that in 8 cases of “activated EEG pattern” occurs the synchronization and regularization of the EEG record where the frequencies were nearly normal, i.e. alpha rhythm appeared. In 6 cases with epileptic discharges (5 temporal and 1 petit mal) a clear activation of such discharges were noted. In the normal records, no important modification occurred. The stabilisation of the EDG was observed in every case after the injection of the drug. This was evidenced by the disappearance of oscillations in response to different sensory stimuli, including nociceptive stimuli. In patients with involuntary electromyographic activity, (exaggerated neuro-muscular tension, tics, tremor), a decrease or total disappearance of such activity was seen during the half hour following the injection of chlorpromazine. These results and observations are compared with recent electro-physiological findings and discussed in view of the probable central action of chlorpromazine on the brain stem reticular system. Finally chlorpromazine is proposed as a method of activation in some cases of epilepsy and also for the elimination of artifacts provoked in EEG records in cases presenting involuntary movements.