Emotional factors in experimental neuroses.

Convulsive behavior in the rat.

“…This review is designed to bring together some of the salient features of experiments utilizing this animal, with the hope that the juxtaposition of certain findings will stimulate integrative thought in the form of theories of behavior mechanisms. 1 The independent variable which the majority of investigators have employed to induce seizures in the rat is intense sound. The earlier studies of this type have already been summarized (40).…”

“…But other experimenters have reported that convulsions can also be produced by such factors as conflict, electrical stimulation, injection with certain drugs, and deprivation of any of several dietary elements. 2 At first glance these major variables may appear so diverse that their logical organization under a single heading is impossible. But further consideration suggests that the interrelationships among the numerous parameters are so complex that it would be almost as artificial to establish five mutually exclusive categories of seizure.…”

“…But further consideration suggests that the interrelationships among the numerous parameters are so complex that it would be almost as artificial to establish five mutually exclusive categories of seizure. The convulsions observed in the several situations may or may not reduce ultimately to 1 Convulsive behavior has also been studied experimentally in such mammals as the cat (e.g., 43, 11(5, 138, 140, 173), the dog (18,23,70,147), the mouse (60,67,117), the rabbit (139), and the pig (18).…”

Studies of abnormal behavior in the rat. XIV [i.e. XIX]. Water spray as a means of inducing seizures.

“…Electric shock (from a grid) by itself has been found relatively ineffective, but it may be argued (10) that shock produces specific avoidance responses and that these relieve tension. This interpretation is supported by Arnold's findings (1) in which non-seizure tests were accompanied by greater degrees of voluntary (exploratory) and involuntary (tremors, twitching and lip wetting) responses than tests which did produce seizures. However, if we find stimuli other than auditory which do not elicit such specific localized reactions, we might produce seizures which are not reducible to sound stimulation.…”

Chapter VI: Experimental Contributions to Mental Hygiene

“…Arnold (1) found that strychnine injections made previously unresponding rats susceptible, and increased the frequency of seizures in previously susceptible ones. From these data, it was argued that there is a continuum of susceptibility from the least to the most susceptible animals, without any distinct classes or types.…”