The Adrenal Cortex

detail. The interesting discussion of this paper briefly covers considerations of cerebral influences on perception and sensory input in general. The next section of the book consists of an extensive, 90-page report by Joel Elkes on the effects of psychosomimetic drugs in animals and man. This represents a detailed presentation of the valuable work of Elkes and his group, and one may be very grateful for its inclusion in such complete form in this volume. Elkes reviews the experimental rationale and his analysis of effects of psychosomimetic drugs on the nervous system particularly, emphasizing physiological and enzymatic mechanisms. In considering physiological mechanisms of these drug effects, the next paper by Dominick Purpura is concerned mainly with the origin of surface cortical potentials and the effects on these potentials of drugs such as LSD-25 and mescalin. Many thoughtful comments concerning the origin of dendritic potentials and their relationship to electroencephalographic activity were made in the rather complete discussion. Serotonin and norepinephrine as antagonistic mediators regulating the central autonomic nervous system are discussed by Bernard B. Brodie. This is a very significant and stimulating concept summarized well by Brodie who has been developing it during the past few years. The volume terminates with a discussion by James Olds of brain response to drugs in relation to self stimulation. This represents an account of the effects of various drugs on the ability of experimental animals to initiate self-stimulation, apparently rewarding or pleasurable, through electrodes chronically implanted at particular points in the brain, especially the subcortical upper brain stem nuclei. Taken as a whole, the publication of the three volumes on neuropharmacology by the Josiah Macy, Jr. Foundation is an extremely useful contribution. In most instances the bibliographies and reference lists are extremely complete and the material presented relatively available. The papers and discussions are critical, stimulating, and especially valuable to workers already somewhat familiar with the field. Yet, to the unfamiliar, reading these volumes would be a rewarding experience.