Abstract

Mescaline increases the low voltage, fast activity in the EEG of the rat, an effect which is similar to that produced by epinephrine. Bursts of spikes accompanied by immobility and open, unblinking eyes occurs at extremely high doses.

In contradistinction to the ability of epinephrine to prevent the hypoglycemia and bradycardia produced by mescaline and vice versa, epinephrimie neither potentiates nor decreases the low voltage, fast activity and bursts of spikes produced by mescaline.

Mescaline slightly increases the threshold to electroshock.

The EEG's of animals chronically exposed to mescaline showed increased low-voltage fast activity, but no increase in bursts of spikes. The administration of a 50 mgm./kgm. dose of mescaline to the chronically exposed rats produced a mild slowing instead of a further increase in fast activity.

Signs of high sympathetic tone such as pupillar dilatation, peripheral vasoconstriction, piloerection, low voltage fast activity and aroused behavior coexist with low blood sugar and slowed heart rate which is suggestive of a state of autonomic imbalance. Such dysfunction may arise as a result of at least partial blockade by mesealine of some epinephrine mechanisms accompanied by either stimulation or release from inhibition of one or more central pathways.