Reversal of Reaction by Means of Strychnine in Planarians and Starfish

Two cases have been described, that of the marine planarian Bdelloura and that of the starfish Asterias forbesii, in which strychnine reverses reciprocal inhibition. These facts indicate that the nervous systems of these invertebrates function in a manner similar to those of the earthworm and vertebrates. Moreover, it would seem that strychnine acts upon some chemical component of the neuron which is always present in synaptic structures but which also occurs in the simpler neurons of lower forms. The fact that strychnine is without this characteristic effect on such forms as medusa and sea anemone, indicates that the nervous systems of the starfish and planarian have chemical affinities with the vertebrates which the coelenterates do not possess.