Role in the inspiratory off-switch of vagal inputs to rostral pontine inspiratory-modulated neurons.
Neurons of the pontine respiratory group (PRG) in the region of the nucleus parabrachialis medialis and the Kolliker-Fuse nucleus are believed to play an important role in promoting the inspiratory (I) off-switch (IOS). In decerebrate gallamine-paralyzed cats ventilated with a cycle-triggered pump system (lung inflation during the neural I phase), we studied the effects of vagal (V) afferent inputs on firing of I-modulated neurons (the most numerous population in PRG) and on I duration. The predominant V effect on unit activity was inhibitory, as shown by two types of test: (a) withholding of inflation during an I phase, which produced increase of unit firing and of its respiratory modulation (58/66 neurons in 14 cats), indicating disinhibition due to removal of phasic V input; (b) delivery of afferent V stimulus trains during a no-inflation I phase, which produced decrease of unit firing and of its respiratory modulation (20 neurons). In addition, application of V input during the neural expiratory (E) phase, which lengthened E phase duration, produced no effect on the neurons' firing, suggesting that the inhibition during I was presynaptic in origin. The results may be interpreted by the hypothesis that the medullary late-I presumptive IOS neurons receive excitatory inputs from the PRG I-modulated neurons as well as from V afferents.. With relatively strong V input, this pontine excitatory output is reduced by inhibition, whereas with relatively weak V input that excitatory output is increased due to reduction of inhibition. Thus the pontine and the V influences on the IOS can operate in a complementary manner dependent on state.
Cohen
Morton I
MI
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. mcohen@aecom.yu.edu
Shaw
Chen-Fu
CF
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000528:radiation effects; D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D003655:Decerebrate State; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D001239:Inhalation / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D008954:Models, Biological; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D010791:Phrenic Nerve / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D011149:Pons / Q000166:cytology*; D012123:Pulmonary Ventilation / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D012119:Respiration; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects