Medullary respiratory-related neurons with axonal connections to rostral pons and their function in termination of inspiration.

In urethane-anaesthetized, paralyzed and artificially ventilated rabbits, medullary respiration-related neurons (RRU) were classified according to the phase relation of their burst discharge to phrenic nerve activity. Phase-bound inspiratory (I) or expiratory (E) neurons were discriminated from phase-spanning expiratory-inspiratory (EI) or inspiratory-expiratory (IE) units. Mechanisms of termination of inspiration by electrical stimulation of rostral pontine nuclei (Nc. parabrachialis medialis; Lc. coeruleus) were examined firstly to demonstrate whether RRU receive descending excitatory and inhibitory afferents as well as ascending efferents and secondly to analyse the time course of the ne…

Influence of rubrospinal tract and the adjacent mesencephalic reticular formation on the activity of medullary respiratory neurons and the phrenic nerve discharge in the rabbit

Suprapontine brain sites acting on the central respiratory system have been demonstrated to give rise to inspiratory as well as expiratory facilitatory effects. In the present study the inspiratory inhibitory effect which has been reported in the cat to be elicited consistently by electrical stimulation of the rubrospinal tract and the adjacent mesencephalic reticular formation was examined in the urethane-anaesthetized rabbit. Stimulation of these sites with single electrical shocks of moderate intensity induced a short latency (onset after 3.0 ms) transient (duration: 29 ms) inhibition of the phrenic nerve activity (PHR). Short volleys of stimuli applied in mid- to late-inspiration led to…

Metabolic control of respiratory neuronal activity and the accompanying changes in breathing movements of the rabbit

Expiratory-related neurons have been classified according to their phase relation within the respiratory cycle, their response to lung distension and collapse (α- and β-type), and to hyperventilation (tonic firing denoted by “+”, cessation of activity by “−”). The dorsal surface of the medulla oblongata was superfused with a metabolite-containing CSF solution and the activity of expiratory (E) and inspiratory-expiratory (IE) neurons was extracellularly recorded. The neuronal sub-types established by their functional behaviour could equally be distinguished by their differential response to one or several metabolites. In contrast to inspiratory (I) neurons, E − α , E + β , E − β and IE − β n…

Possible mechanism of pontine influence on output of medullary respiratory center in the rabbit

Inspiratory inhibition and rebound activation elicited by intermittent electrical bulbar stimulation in various states of pulmonary afferent vagal excitation

In anesthetized rabbits spirogram and diaphragmatic activity were examined during electrical stimulation of regions of the medulla oblongata. The volleys were triggered by the animal's own respiration. 1. One volley of 120 msec duration at 100 pulses p.s., applied during inspiratory, caused an immediate and transient inhibition of the diaphragmatic activity. After the end of the volley and inspiratory rebound appeared: the tidal volume was increased and the inspiration was prolonged by some 150 msec. The respiratory rate decreased. 2. Continuous low or high frequency electrical stimulation of pulmonary stretch afferents caused an inspiratory or an expiratory effect respectively. In both con…

Spatial distribution of various types of bulbar respiratory neurons in the rabbit

In anesthetized rabbits, the burst activity of 277 single respiratory neurons was recorded extracellularly. The neurons were classified according to their spike incidence distribution within the respiratory cycle and to their response to lung distension or collapse (alpha or beta type). About one third of the neurons found in all animals were located at the level of the caudal end of the promontorium gliosum, widely scattered over the bulbar cross-section. More rostrally the units were located within a dorsal area neighbouring the tractus solitarius, more caudally within a ventral field surrounding the nucleus ambiguus. Most of the inspiratory neurons (the most frequently encountered type) …

The bulbar respiratory centre in the rabbit. I. Changes of respiratory parameters caused by intermittent electrical bulbar stimulation during inspiration or expiration.

In anesthetized rabbits, spirogram and diaphragmatic activity were examined during electrical stimulation of the bulbar lateral reticular formation. The activity of bulbar respiratory neurons was recorded contra-or ipsilaterally to the stimulation site. One volley of repetitive stimuli per breath was delivered during either inspiration or expiration. 1. Each volley of about 120 ms duration at 100 pulses per second, delivered early ininspiration, caused an immediate and transient inhibition of the diaphragmatic activity. An inspiratory, rebound comprising lengthening of inspiration and increase in tidal volume occurred. a) “Inspiratory” and “expiratory-inspiratory” phase-spanning neurons exh…

A window amplitude discriminator with adjustable upper and lower thresholds

An amplitude window discriminator is described which permits selection of spikes from a multi-unit recording, provided the signal-to-noise ratio is high enough. The device can be built at relatively low cost and time. The circuitry permits analysis of the positive or the negative deflections of the recorded signals. In Part One of the circuitry, the signals are pre-amplified and may be inverted in polarity. In Part Two, the pulses are compared to a variable lower threshold voltage, and low amplitude noise is eliminated. Part Three depicts a logic circuit for elimination of disturbing high-amplitude signals, whose output delivers digital pulses, each corresponding to an original signal (e.g.…

Activity of bulbar respiratory modulated neurons and restart of respiration after hypocapnic apnea in rabbits

The activity of respiratory modulated neurons at the end of the apneic pause and during restart of respiration and the diaphragmatic mass activity were examined and both were compared to quiet respiration. Thresholds of mutual inhibition of neurons are unevenly distributed within various phase types of neurons.

A device to trigger automatically electrical stimulation at different states of in- or expiration on the background of variable lung inflation in the rabbit

A device is described which permits to obtain a signal at the beginning of in- or expiration respectively. This signal may be used to trigger an electrical stimulator. To permit studies at different states of lung inflation the tracheal cannula is connected to a spirometer circuit. To produce constant positive or negative air pressure this bellows-type spirometer is loaded with exchangeable metal weights. The tracheal pressure is recorded by means of a pressure transducer, the output of which is taken as signal. The device allows accurate compensation of the DC-component of the transducer output resulting from spirometer operation at a maintained positive or negative pressure.

Time course of excitatory and inhibitory states of bulbar respiratory modulated neurons.

In respiratory modulated neurons of rabbits, vagally mediated inhibition is not bound to resting membrane potential oscillations. Latency of spinally evoked antidromical spike invasion, however, is shorter and threshold voltage is lower during the shift of membrane potential towards depolarization accompanying burst discharge.