SINCE the introduction of the convulsive therapies by von Meduna in 1935, many endeavors have been made to modify the resulting seizures in order to reduce complications and side-effects inherent in these forms of treatment. One of the methods used has been the administration of drugs designed to alter the convulsions in order to temper the undesired effects.1 Drug modifications of electroshock therapy have been directed primarily in two channels. The first of these is the regulation of the muscle end-plate physiology in such a way as completely or partially to interrupt the nerve-muscle, conduction-response mechanism. The other approach is the alteration of cerebral physiology designed to (1) modify the course of the convulsion and (2) change the patient's reaction to the treatment. The present report deals with the latter.
It has been recognized for some time that any subcomatose or comatose state increases the convulsive threshold remarkably.2