Interruption of behavior,inescapable shock,and experimental neurosis: A neurophysiologic analysis

Experiments reported in the literature involving interruption of behavior and leading to symptoms of anxiety in conditioned rats are analyzed from the neurophysiologic point of view and compared with the effects of inescapable electric shocks in dogs. It is suggested that anxiety and neurotic behavior (failure to attempt to escape from shock) are accompanied by a state of high ergotropic excitation which leads to a “spilling over” of ergotropic discharges into the trophotropic system. The resulting simultaneous ergotropic and trophotropic discharges impinging on the cerebral cortex are thought to induce abnormal emotions and behavior. Normal behavior is restored by reducing excessive ergotropic activity and re-establishing reciprocal relations between the ergotropic and trophotropic systems. In 1965 I presented a theory of anxiety based on a physiologic analysis of various forms of experimental and clinical neuroses in terms of the activities of, and the mutual relations existing between, the trophotropic and ergotropic systems (Gellhorn, 1965; Gellhorn and Loofbourrow, 1963). In the meantime the work of Mandleret al. (Mandler, 1964; Mandler and Watson, 1966), who emphasized that anxiety is produced through interruption of behavior, came to my attention. These investigations pose two questions:

1. 1.
   Is the interpretation of anxiety presented in my earlier study applicable to Mandler's experiments and kindred observations?