The influence of hyperventilation on efferent control of peripheral chemoreceptors

Prenatal cocaine exposure and postnatal hypoxia independently decrease carotid body dopamine in neonatal rats

The effects of prenatal cocaine exposure on the levels of carotid body dopamine (DA) and its metabolites 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA) were investigated in 5-day-old rat pups exposed to normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Timed-pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were injected b.i.d. with either cocaine HCl (30 mg/kg) or isotonic saline (1 ml/kg) from gestational days 7-21. On the fifth postnatal day, pups were subjected to either 20 min of 0.21 or 0.08 fractional inspired oxygen (FlO2). Under a strictly timed protocol, both carotid bodies were removed from each pup, placed in an antioxidant solution to prevent DA breakdown, and subsequently analyzed via HPLC with electrochemical detection to determine carotid body DA and DOPAC content. Two-way ANOVA revealed decreases in DA in cocaine-exposed pups. No HVA was detectable in any of the samples. The 0.08 FlO2 condition decreased DA compared to 0.21 FlO2. The additive consequences of DA depletion resulting from the combination of prenatal cocaine and postnatal hypoxia decreased carotid body DA to 14% of control levels, with several animals exhibiting DA content below detection limits. Considering the role of the carotid body in the ventilatory response to hypoxia, these data suggest that prenatal cocaine exposure may adversely affect the normal chemoreceptive function of the carotid body.

Control of blood-gas and acid-base status during isometric exercise in humans

1. At a given level of pulmonary gas exchange, ventilation (VE) is appreciably higher during isometric exercise than during isotonic exercise. It is presently not clear whether the resultant hypocapnia represents a compensatory hyperventilation for an arterial metabolic acidaemia or whether it might reflect a primary respiratory alkalaemia. 2. To resolve this issue, five subjects performed isometric leg exercise designed to induce exhaustion in ca. 5 min and, on a separate occasion, ca. 8 min. VE, CO2 output (VCO2), O2 uptake (VO2) and end-tidal gas tensions (PET,CO2, PET,O2) were measured breath-by-breath during exercise and recovery; arterialized venous blood (drawn from the dorsum of the heated hand) was sampled frequently and analysed for PCO2, PO2, pH, bicarbonate and lactate. These response profiles were compared with those resulting from exhausting bouts of isotonic leg exercise (cycle ergometry) of similar duration. 3. The isotonic exercise induced a metabolic (lactic) acidaemia with partial respiratory compensation. In contrast, isometric exercise consistently resulted in a respiratory alkalaemia, with little or no increase of blood [lactate]. At the end of the isometric exercise, VE fell abruptly and then rose again after a short interval (20 s, on average). This secondary stimulation presumably reflected the acid-base consequences of the increased blood [lactate] (3-5 mM, on average) which occurred in the recovery phase. 4. We therefore conclude that a primary respiratory alkalaemia occurs during isometric exercise, and that this results from ventilatory stimulation at a time when the 'exercise' metabolites are trapped within the contracting muscles as a consequence of impeded blood flow. The initial rapid reduction of ventilation which occurred at the cessation of the isometric exercise is consistent with a washing-out of 'hyperpnoea-inducing' metabolites from the muscles. Allowing for transit to the central circulation, the reduced ventilation is subsequently supplemented by a powerful humoral drive to breathe which results in a further hyperpnoea and secondary hypocapnia. Because of its latency, we hypothesize that this secondary hypocapnia is of peripheral chemoreceptor origin. 5. The ventilatory response profile for isometric exercise, and the subsequent recovery phase, supports the contention that both the exercising muscles and the peripheral chemoreceptors can be important sites for inducing hyperpnoea in humans.

Ventilation studied with circulatory occlusion during two intensities of exercise

Our purpose was to study the possible role of a pulmonary chemoreceptor in the control of ventilation during exercise. Respiratory gas exchange was measured breath-by-breath at two intensities of exercise with circulatory occlusion of the legs. Eight male subjects exercised on a cycle ergometer at 49 and 98 W for 12 min; circulation to the legs was occluded by thigh cuffs (26.7 kPa) for two min after six min of unoccluded exercise. PETCO2 and VO2 decreased and PETO2 increased significantly during occlusion at both workloads. Occlusion elicited marked hyperventilation, as evidenced by sharp increases in VE, VE/VCO2, and VE/VO2. A sudden sharp increase in PETCO2 was seen 12.3 +/- 0.5 and 6.5 +/- 1.2s after cuff release in all subjects during exercise at 49 and 98 W, respectively. At 49 W a post-occlusion inflection in VE was seen in 7 subjects 21.1 +/- 5.8s after the PETCO2 inflection. Three subjects showed an inflection in VE at 98 W 23.3 +/- 7.5 s after the PETCO2 inflection. There were significant increases in PETCO2, VO2, VCO2 and VE after cuff release. VE mirrored VCO2 better than VO2, post occlusion. On the basis of a significant lag time between inflections in PETCO2 and VE following cuff release, it is concluded that the influences of a pulmonary CO2 receptor were not seen.

Characteristics and rate of occurrence of spontaneous and provoked augmented breaths

The tidal volume and corresponding efferent phrenic activity of spontaneously occurring and provoked "augmented" breaths, AB, and the subsequent post-augmented breaths were studied in cats anesthetized with pentobarbitone during hypercapnia and hypoxia. The augmentation phase (phase II) begins at, or close to, the crest of what appears as a "normal" inspiration (phase I). The amplitude and duration of phase II remained fairly constant whereas the amplitude and the duration of phase I changed with chemical drive just as in control breaths. The smaller amplitude and shorter duration of post-augmented breaths as compared to control breaths seems to be due to both a lower-than-normal inspiratory "off-switch" threshold following the AB and an increased rate of rise of inspiratory activity. With increasing hypercapnia and hypoxia both the time interval between AB and the refractory period following an AB during which a new AB cannot be provoked were reduced. Following bilateral vagotomy AB was temporarily abolished but reappeared after 1-2 h. The relatively low rates of occurrence after vagotomy still showed the same type of dependence on chemical stimuli. The refractory period was not abolished although usually decreased by gallamine paralysis or high thoracic spinalization.

The distribution of the cat's carotid sinus nerve afferent and efferent cell bodies using the horseradish peroxidase technique

The location of both afferent and efferent carotid sinus nerve (CSN) cell bodies in the cat has been determined using the horseradish peroxidase (HRP) technique. Following a limited exposure of the central cut end of the CSN to HRP, labeled sensory ganglion cells were found in both the petrosal and superior ganglia of the IXth cranial nerve. An average of 387 in the former and 16 cells in the latter ganglion were labeled. Retrogradely labeled neurons were found only within the ipsilateral medulla. These cells were both round and spindle shaped and had an average somal diameter of 19 micrometer. The number of these CSN efferent cell bodies ranged from 1 to a maximum of 20 in a given animal. They were found in both the nucleus parvocellularis and the retrofacial nucleus. In 8 cases axonal labeling was observed. Axons generally projected dorsomedially from the ventrolateral medulla.