Possible inspiratory off-switch neurones in the ventrolateral medulla of the cat.
The location and axonal projection of a type of respiratory neurones (termed bIE neurones), which show burst firing at the time of phase transition from inspiration to expiration, were studied in Nembutal-anaesthetized, paralysed and artificially ventilated cats. The bIE neurones showed maximum firing at the sharp decline of inspiratory activity. All of the bIE neurones tested projected to medullary respiration-related areas of the ventral respiratory group (VRG), the dorsal respiratory group (DRG), and the Bötzinger complex (BOT). The bIE neurones were distributed in the dorso-medial border of the main assembly of respiratory neurones of the VRG and BOT. The possibility that these bIE neurones participate in inspiratory termination is discussed.
Oku
Y
Y
Department of Neurobiology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Neuroscience, Japan.
Tanaka
I
I
Ezure
K
K
D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology; D002415:Cats; D007823:Laryngeal Nerves / Q000502:physiology; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D010791:Phrenic Nerve / Q000187:drug effects; D012119:Respiration / Q000502:physiology; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques