Neurology

Abstract

[95] Conditions of the transmission of nervous impulse over the sympathetic interneuronic synapses (Condizioni della trasmissione dcll' influsso nervoso attraverso le sinapsi simpatiche interneuroniche). D. BOLSI and F. VISINTINI. Riv. di pat. nerv. e went., 1934, 43, 1129. TIIE present research shows that in experiments on the sympathetic pupil dilator-fibres transmission is conditioned by the chronaxy of the single neurones. Drugs effect the transmission by altering the relationship of the chronaxies of single neurones. Even nicotine which was supposed to have a selective action on veegetative synapses is proved to act by altering the chronaxial relationslhips of the neurones concerned. In fact it lowers the chronaxv of the preganglionic fibres. Further researches on the action of drugs along these lines would be interesting. It. G. G. [96] Histological aspects of the pineal body in relation to pregnancy (Aspetti istologici della pineale in rapporto allo stato gravidico). V. DESOGUS. Riv. di pat. nerv. e ment., 1935, 45, 555. TIIE author, after reviewing the researches which have led to the concept that the pineal gland does not exhaust its physiological possibilities after the attainment of sexual maturity, describes his own researches on birds and mammals, by means of which he has demonstrated the great activity of the pineal gland during the maximal activity of the genital organs and vice versa. After having put forward radiological and clinical evidence leading to a similar point of view, and discussed the present state of the controversial question of the behaviour of the pineal gland during pregnancy, he opposes this last argument, showing on the basis of his own researches that the gland, after being progressively involved in the progress of the developing pregnancy, shows, as a very late stage, histological characters denoting a state of marked involution. These facts lead to the concept of a pineal-genital endocrine system which antagonises the thyroid-suprarenal-pituitary group.