A novel non-invasive method to measure skin potential response: some pharmacological evidence

Skin sympathetic activity in rats under various behavioral conditions was recorded using a novel non-invasive method. The arrangement of electrodes was: (+) chest, (-) back, (ref) abdomen, all three on the midline. Samples consisted of 801 values of skin potential, each one taken during one minute under one of the following conditions: basal or olfactory, visual or painful stimulation. The 2-way ANOVA shows that the SPR rank was enhanced significantly by either stress and by amphetamine 3 mg/kg, i.p. The effect of the combined treatment was much more pronounced than those of either of the individual treatments. The effects of the different stimuli (olfactory and painful) when compared to the basal recordings were often significant regardless of the treatment. We propose that the method allows checking not only the effects of sympathetic-stimulant drug but also changes in the stereotypy on the sympathetic responses induced by them in an awake, freely moving animal that is experiencing an emotional stress.