Percival Bailey

Effects of Betatron Radiations on the Brain of Primates

FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS studies have been in progress to determine and to analyze the effects of the newer sources of radiations on the normal brain of monkeys and on the tumors of the central nervous system of man. This report is concerned primarily with an analysis of the clinical and pathologic effects on the brain of the monkey of 23 mev. x-rays, as produced by the University of Illinois betatron. This study was also undertaken to gain some insight as to how the physical properties of high energy x-rays, as produced by the betatron, could be efficiently applied to the therapy of brain tumors.

Changes in the Central Nervous System Following Irradiation with 23-mev X-Rays from the Betatron

During the past three years, studies have been in progress to determine and analyze the effects of x-rays on the normal brain of the monkey and on tumors of the central nervous system of man. Although these studies have been carried out primarily with 23-mev x-rays, produced by the University of Illinois betatron, additional comparative studies utilizing 200 and 400 kv. x-rays have also been undertaken. Our findings, to date, would indicate that the brain of both monkey and man is more radioresponsive than previously supposed, and that the pathological changes produced by these radiations are due to a direct effect upon the neural elements. These observations are definitely contradictory to the observations made by previous investigators (1–5) who have irradiated the central nervous system of a variety of animal species, including man (6). In general, these authors have concluded (a) that the central nervous system is highly radioresistant, in that it requires many thousands of roentgens to produce any re...

Effects of Lesions of the Periaqueductal Gray Matter in the Cat

The great epidemic of lethargic encephalitis directed the attention of neurologists to the region of the midbrain and hypothalamus. A long series of experimental and pathological studies has demonstrated the importance of the gray masses which surround the inferior and posterior parts of the third ventricle, but the posterior extension of the juxta-ventricular gray matter, which surrounds the aqueduct of Sylvius in a cylinder of considerable size, has been neglected. This periaqueductal gray matter is of such a shape, and so located, as to make its destruction very difficult by the usual means-such as the Horsley-Clarke machine-without such extensive damage to neighboring structures as to obscure the interpretation of results. After much experimentation we developed an electrode which could be inserted by an opening in the occipitoatlantoid ligament through the fourth ventricle into the aqueduct and, in this manner, made electrolytic lesions confined to the periaqueductal gray matter of the cat. During the process of development of an electrode which would follow the aqueduct we produced numerous lesions, in all parts of the midbrain, which served as controls since in none of them did the symptoms appear which regularly follow destruction of the periaqueductal gray matter. The lesions were made with an electrolytic apparatus, built for us by Mr. Craig Goodwin, which delivers a constant amperage regardless of variations in the resistance. The location of the lesion was, in each case, verified by serial sections stained alternately with the methods of Nissl and Weil. When the electrode is merely inserted into the aqueduct, without making an electrolytic lesion, the subsequent behavior of the animals is entirely normal. When the electrode jumps the aqueduct and an electrolytic lesion is made outside the periaqueductal gray matter only alterations in motor performance are noted.

Intolerance of the primate brainstem and hypothalamus to conventional and high energy radiations.

SHORTLY AFTER STUDIES of the effects of various radiations upon the central nervous system of monkey and man were begun in 1949, it was noted that the brainstem and hypothalamus were rather intolerant to large doses of x-rays from conventional x-ray equipment and to biologically equivalent doses of high energy x-rays from the A similar intolerance of these areas to equivalent dosages of high energy electrons has also been observed in studies of 17 mev (million electron volt) electrons from the betatron on the brains of monkeys.‘ This intolerance of the brainstem and hypothalamus of monkey and man to a variety of radiations becomes an important consideration in the planning of radiation therapy for patients with neoplasms of the central nervous system, particularly for those patients with neoplasms within or about the central axis of the brain. Both the brainstem and hypothalamus are quite radio-responsive. Radiation effects can be observed promptly after moderate dosages of irradiation and at prolonged intervals of time after irradiation, when delayed radiation damage may appear. Both the acute and delayed reactions may seriously alter the course of the patient’s life. The intolerance of the brainstem and hypothalamus to large doses of radiation appears to be due to two factors: l ) these areas subserve many functions essential for survival, and 2 ) these areas are much more radio-responsive than cortical areas. The much greater responsiveness of the brainstem and hypothalamus to irradiation will be demonstrated in this paper, and the clinical importance of these observations will be discussed.

The Syndrome of Obstinate Progression in the Cat

For some time we have been intrigued by a large cellular mass in the brainstem known as the nucleus interpeduncularis. Gudden 1 noted that “Ueber seine physiologische Bedeutung is so veil wie nichts bekannt.” The statement is equally true today. So we decided to make some lesions in it with the aid of the Horsley-Clarke apparatus to see what would result. Judging from its known anatomical connections we expected some alteration of behavior relating to food. Instead there resulted a most amazing behavioral disturbance which we have decided to call the syndrome of obstinate progression. As soon as the cats recover from the anesthetic they begin to progress obstinately forward, making a peculiar low cry, and will turn aside for no obstacle. If such a cat is in a cage he will thrust his head into the corner and push with all his might until exhausted. He will rub off all the hair and macerate the scalp. If put down on the floor he will start forward and continue directly ahead until he meets an obstacle. He will never turn aside from any obstacle but continue to push his head against it until it gives way or he falls and, by accident, gets a start in another direction. If he is on a table-top he will walk directly ahead beyond the end and fall sprawling to the floor. If the door of his cage is opened he will walk directly out in the same manner and fall. This behavior continues as long as the animal lives, usually about 3 days. He shows no tendency to follow the observer and attends to nothing in his environment, but will eat if he is held with his nose in the neighborhood of food.

Studien zur Anatomie, Physiologie und Pathologie der perivaskulären Piagliamembran des Gehirns

nisehem Bild (Fehlen einer dauernden Aphasie und gemianopsie) wird hingewiesen und eine Erkl~rung versueht. Zur Erkl~rung des Bildes der Anf~lle (nieht aber ihrer Genese) wird darauf hingewiesen, dag die Degeneration des linken T it r e k sehen Bfindels eine l~ngerdauernde Unregelm~ftigkeit in den Korrelationen verursaehte, die. vom lillken Temporoparietallappen fiber Brttekenkerne und Brtikkenarme yore Grofihirn aus auf die reehte Kleinhirnhemisph~re ausgetibt werden, und dabei an die Restbefunde erinnert, die M. H. F i s e h e r und O. P 5 t z 1 an dem Jaekseh-Sehloffersehen Fall yon Resektion der reehten Kleinhirnhemisph~re erhoben haben. Die Isolierung clef Funktion des reehten Kleinhirns wird im vorliegenden Falle dureh die Degeneration kortikothalamiseher Bahnen und dureh ZerstSrung der Brfiekenkerne gesteigert. Dutch das Zusammenwirken dieser gerde l~tgt sieh die tonisehe Enthemmung bei epileptisehen Anf~tllen auf Grund des morphologisehen Befundes veransehauliehen.

Location of Inhibitory Respiratory Center in Cerebral Cortex of the Dog

There is considerable discrepancy in the literature concerning the location of the inhibitory respiratory center in the cerebral cortex of the dog. Spencer 1 originally located it in the allocortex, medial to the sulcus rhinalis. Bucy and Case 2 located it just below the anterior extremity of the coronal sulcus and Smith 3 farther posteriorly in the gyrus compositus anterior. Because of this uncertainty we have repeated these experiments using the technic of Bailey and Sweet 4 which, by exenteration of the orbit, permits access to the entire orbital region of the frontal lobe without the necessity of retracting the brain. Under these circumstances, using either ether or nembutal for light anesthesia, the inhibitory respiratory region is found to be a very small area situated in the gyrus compositus anterior just lateral to the posterior extremity of the gyrus proreus. It is definitely lateral to the sulcus rhinalis and sulcus supraorbitalis. We have never obtained slowing or arrest of respiration by stimulation medial to the sulcus rhinalis. There is considerable variation in the pattern of gyri and sulci in this region of the dogs cortex. The accompanying diagram (Fig. 1) shows the location of the inhibitory respiratory center in 6 dogs. It lies always in the gyrus compositus anterior just posterior to the area indicated by Smith. This seems to be the area 4 c of Klempin. 5 We have never obtained inhibition from any other area of the lateral, orbital or medial surface of the frontal lobe.

The Parapraxis in the Haizmann Case of Sigmund Freud.

This study seems to be much ado about very little and tends to show that Sigmund Freud was very careless and inaccurate, hardly a new or startling discovery since Freud remarked that he was often very sloppy. It concerns the case of Johann Christoph Haizmann, a destitute painter who was born in Traunstein, Bavaria, in 1652, and having lost a parent, supposedly made two bonds with the devil, one in the year 1668, written in ink, the other in 1669 written in blood. From the study of the available documents, mainly a folk-song about the painter, a brief account by Father G. Petschacher, and a collection of documents compiled by Father A. Eremiasch, Freud made a psychoanalytical study of the case, arriving at the conclusion that the illness should be interpreted as a conflict over unconscious homosexuality, that is in terms of the father-complex, an interpretation which he made also

Ictal and Subictal Neurosis: Diagnosis and Treatment.

After a period when little notice was paid to the ictal state there has been recently a revival of interest in its relation to character problems. The author has made a study based on personal observation over a period of 12 years of 162 patients. Of these 50 had personality problems or anxiety states and were considered controls, the others had various ictal phenomena. The diagnosis was established not only by the history but also by EEG examination and by the response of the patient to anticonvulsive therapy, especially diphenylhydantoin. However, the author points out that an unsuccessful response to anticonvulsant therapy does not rule out epileptic equivalents. There is given an extensive survey of the literature on the relationship between ictal phenomena and the temporal lobe-rhinencephalon-thalamus complex. Various types of equivalents are described with case histories. The role of the EEG is described

Eulogium Magistrorum Meorum

The psychologists tell us that most important for the development ofour characters are the first five years of our lives and the ethologists have demonstrated that each species ofanimal has a characteristic period during which its environment imprints itself most easily and deeply in the animals behavior. But these are not the only influences which are important. At all ages we may be powerfully conditioned by contact with our environment, particularly by the social environment. Of the social stimuli most deeply implanted are the images of certain of our teachers. I present here briefsketches ofpeople who taught me what seem to me the most important and influential lessons. I have had many other teachers who were good scholars, had excellent characters, and were accurate thinkers in their fields but, although they taught me many facts and skills, they did not have the same impact on my development. My fundamental reactions were implanted by my mother, Estella (Orr) Bailey. Up to the age of six years I was practically intellectually alone with her; my father worked away from home or was in the army until then. I lived most ofthe time on an isolated farm belonging to my maternal grandfather, who was hard worked to make a living, and my grandmother was busy from daylight to dark with the household chores and garden. My mother took care of me and my younger brother and sister. She helped with the housework as much as she could and in the evening told us stories from the Bible or read, I am told, from the Youths Companion, which was almost our only contact with the outside world in the wintertime, since the roads were all but impassable. When I was about four and a halfmy Aunt Aurie came back to the farm with her daughter, about three years older than I. Together we started to go to the district school when the