FUNCTIONAL ORGANIZATION OF BRAIN STEM RESPIRATORY COMPLEX IN THE CAT.
Abstract
A study was made on the roles of the Hering-Breuer reflex, the pneumotaxic center, the apneustic center, and the medullary respiratory center in the regulation of rate and depth of respiration in response to changes in blood concentration of CO2 and 02. Integrated phrenic nerve discharge, abdominal respiratory movement, and intra-abdominal and intratracheal pressures were recorded in decerebrate cats as they breathed air, 5% CO2, 7% CO2, 10% 02 and 100% 02. By using decerebrate cats as control, results from vagotomy, pneumotaxic center ablation, and brain stem transection, alone or in combination, indicate: (1) Hering-Breuer reflex controls respiratory rate and in the absence of pneumotaxic center, maintains a constant depth; (2) pneumotaxic center controls respiratory depth and in the absence of Hering-Breuer reflex, maintains a constant rate; (3) apneustic center provides maximum respiratory depth and prolonged inspiratory duration so that rate can be regulated by Hering-Breuer reflex and depth by pneumotaxic center; (4) medullary respiratory center serves as a final pathway and integration center of the impulses from the higher centers. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1967
- Accession Number
- AD0652370
Entities
People
- Pei Chin Tang
Organizations
- Naval Aerospace Medical Institute