title: Desensitization of the cough reflex during limb muscle contraction in anesthetized rabbits.
abstract: The 'cough network' exhibits plasticity at the sensor and integration levels leading to modulation of the strength or pattern of the cough reflex. Little is known about the interactions between cough and human activities, especially during exercise. The present study was designed to determine whether exercise, mimicked by electrically induced muscle contractions, can modify the incidence and/or strength of cough following mechanical stimulation of the trachea in anesthetized rabbits. Thirteen anesthetized, tracheotomized rabbits were studied by a total of 311 tracheal stimulations: 196 at rest and 115 during exercise. During muscle contractions, the incidence of the cough reflex (CR) decreased and the expiration reflex (ER) increased (p < 0.0001). The sensitivity of the CR and ER both decreased during exercise compared to the sensitivity of the CR at rest (p < 0.02), while the strength of the expulsive response remained unchanged. These results indicate that adjustments occurring during muscle contractions likely downregulate tracheal defensive reflexes in anesthetized rabbits.
authors.affiliation: EA 3450 DevAH - Development, Adaptation and Disadvantage, Cardiorespiratory regulations and motor control, Université de Lorraine, F-54505, France. Electronic address: m.poussel@chu-nancy.fr.
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Poussel
authors.affiliation: EA 3450 DevAH - Development, Adaptation and Disadvantage, Cardiorespiratory regulations and motor control, Université de Lorraine, F-54505, France.
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bosser
authors.affiliation: EA 3450 DevAH - Development, Adaptation and Disadvantage, Cardiorespiratory regulations and motor control, Université de Lorraine, F-54505, France.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Varechova
authors.affiliation: EA 3450 DevAH - Development, Adaptation and Disadvantage, Cardiorespiratory regulations and motor control, Université de Lorraine, F-54505, France.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Demoulin
authors.affiliation: EA 3450 DevAH - Development, Adaptation and Disadvantage, Cardiorespiratory regulations and motor control, Université de Lorraine, F-54505, France.
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chalon
authors.affiliation: EA 3450 DevAH - Development, Adaptation and Disadvantage, Cardiorespiratory regulations and motor control, Université de Lorraine, F-54505, France.
authors.forename: Odile
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ruckebusch
authors.affiliation: EA 3450 DevAH - Development, Adaptation and Disadvantage, Cardiorespiratory regulations and motor control, Université de Lorraine, F-54505, France.
authors.forename: Angelica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tiotiu
authors.affiliation: EA 3450 DevAH - Development, Adaptation and Disadvantage, Cardiorespiratory regulations and motor control, Université de Lorraine, F-54505, France.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Renaud
authors.affiliation: EA 3450 DevAH - Development, Adaptation and Disadvantage, Cardiorespiratory regulations and motor control, Université de Lorraine, F-54505, France.
authors.forename: Cyril
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schweitzer
authors.affiliation: EA 3450 DevAH - Development, Adaptation and Disadvantage, Cardiorespiratory regulations and motor control, Université de Lorraine, F-54505, France. Electronic address: b.chenuel@chu-nancy.fr.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chenuel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003371:Cough / Q000378:metabolism*; D045853:Exhalation / Q000502:physiology*; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D011817:Rabbits; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology; D014132:Trachea / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Cough; Expiration reflex; Mechanical stimulation; Muscle contraction; Rabbit