Remote cerebral effects on EEG in high-energy missile trauma.

Preliminary observations show that under certain circumstances high-energy missile trauma to soft tissue causes a transient depression of the EEG. Similar effects on the central nervous system elicited by the pressure and shock waves might be the cause of the acute behavioural and mental blockage reported in man by nonfatal wounds from missiles of this type. The mechanism behind the effects observed is not yet known, nor can the absence of EEG effects in some animals be explained at present. Further studies of the remote cerebral effects of high-energy missile trauma should be carried out.