Influence Exerted on Auditory Fatigue by Some Calmatives and Stimulants of the Central Nervous System

Abstract

A remarkable decrease of the intensity and duration of auditory fatigue has been found on administration of atarax and meprobamate and it appears that the effect is produced by these drugs through the reticular formation. Administration of luminal brought about but a small decrease, particularly in young people. Caffeine shortened and alleviated the fatigue, its action being strikingly dependent on the age of examinees. No effect has been detected in the case of lobeline and neither intensity nor duration of the fatigue were decreased on administration of placebo. The results obtained seem to point at a significance of the reticular formation in the mechanism of auditory fatigue.