Psychosomatic digitalis-toxic arrhythmias in guinea pigs

Benjamin H. Natelson, Norman A. Cagin, Kenneth Donner, Bruce E. Hamilton

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

39 Scopus citations

Abstract

Adult male guinea pigs were subjected daily to six 1 min tone/light signals, each 5 min apart. For half of the animals, the signal was followed by rump shock 40% of the time (signal, shock group); for the remaining animals, shock was never delivered (signal, no-shock group). Animals in both groups were subjected to weekly injections of ouabain, a fast-acting digitalis glycoside. For the signal, shock group, significantly more potentially lethal arrhythmias began during the signal than the min preceding it. Also, a significantly higher percentage of arrhythmias began during the signal periods for the signal, shock group when compared to the signal, no-shock group. These findings indicate that psychogenic factors may contribute to the development of digitalis-toxic arrhythmias.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2245-2250
Number of pages6
JournalLife Sciences
Volume22
Issue number24
DOIs
StatePublished - 26 Jun 1978
Externally publishedYes

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