[Physiological role of ITR in reflex and sleep apneas].
This study demonstrates that unilateral excitotoxic lesionin of the pontine ITR increases the frequency of spontaneous central sleep apneas in freely behaving rats without alteration in average respiratory rate, minute ventilation, or sleep architecture. Thus, our findings suggest that the ITR may function specifically to dampen respiratory perturbations and that bilateral integrity of this structure is important. We may also speculate that the ITR functions to maintain stable breathing during sleep in man.
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D011149:Pons / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology*; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000503:physiopathology*