Pulmonary Adaptation to High Altitude.
Abstract
The work was aimed at: (1) animal studies which defined the effects of chronic hypoxia on CNS neurotransmitter metabolism and on cerebral tissue (H+) regulation and related these to ventilatory acclimatization; and (2) human studies which examined the nature of ventilatory periodicity during sleep in hypoxia and the effects of heavy exercise on pulmonary gas exchange. Brain intracellular (H+) (in dogs) is very closely regulated in short-term hypoxia secondary mainly to increased brain metabolic acid production. Metabolic acid production in brain increases in acute hypoxia, but shows 'adaptation' with chronic hypoxia, i.e. either remaining constant or showing substantial reduction with time. Ventilatory acclimatization to or deacclimatization from chronic hypoxia do not show clear relationships to cerebral tissue metabolic acid production or--presumably--cerebral fluid acidification. Monoamine neurotransmitter synthesis and turnover in the CNS show adaptation to chronic hypoxia (in the rat). We found no relationship of this metabolism to ventilatory acclimatization, nor did we find that pharmacologic manipulation of these monoamines changed ventilatory acclimatization.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 10, 1981
- Accession Number
- ADA101666
Entities
People
- Jerome A. Dempsey
Organizations
- University of Wisconsin–Madison