Immediate changes in ventilation and respiratory pattern associated with onset and cessation of locomotion in the cat.

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
In high decerebrate unanesthetized cats (precollicular/premamillary) which developed spontaneous coordinated locomotor activity, ventilation, breathing pattern, phrenic nerve, external and internal intercostal electromyogram (emg) activities were examined. Locomotion was also induced by electrical stimulation of the subthalamic locomotor region and in a few cases the mesencephalic locomotor region. Quadriceps muscle emg was used to monitor locomotor activity. The virtually simultaneous changes in quadriceps activity and respiratory motor activities suggest that the increase in ventilation at exercise onset is neurally mediated. Results also suggest that the motor pathways to the spinal locomotor pattern generators and the pattern-controlling mechanisms for respiration are driven in parallel to provide a quantitative relationship between respiratory motor output and locomotor activity. The functional significance of the alterations in respiratory pattern and participation of the different respiratory muscles is discussed.