[The parasympathetic control of spontaneous ventricular defibrillation in animals of different ages]

The enhancement of parasympathetic control in newborn and mature guinea pigs, achieved through vagal stimulation and acetylcholine administration, was shown to increase the duration of spontaneously reversible fibrillation of the heart ventricles. Acetylcholine administration could prevent spontaneously irreversible fibrillation of the heart ventricles in old animals. The preservation of sympathetic control was shown to be important for the mechanisms of spontaneous restoration of normal cardiac rhythm.