Psychosomatic Medicine 19:363-369 (1957)
© 1957 American Psychosomatic Society

Autonomic Nervous System Responses Related to the Funkenstein Test

II. To Mecholyl

¹ Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Calif.

A series of ANS functions were measured on 46 male patients all with a proved diagnosis of malignant neoplasm, during rest and following subcutaneous injection of 5 mg. of mecholyl chloride. The data support the following conclusions:

The drop in systolic blood pressure induced by mecholyl brings into action sympathetic compensatory mechanisms, especially increased heart rate and peripheral vasoconstriction, which tend to counteract the hypotension.

With increasing age there is an apparent decrease in sympathetic excitability.

Systolic blood pressure response to mecholyl is indicative of total ANS reactivity to some extent only. The relationship is not high. One or a few measures do not provide a valid index of autonomic reactivity.

Neither resting levels nor initial reaction appears to be related to a secondary overcompensatory systolic blood pressure response to mecholyl.