Reflex chemoceptive regulation of arterial pressure during natural sleep in the cat

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Abstract
Experiments were carried out in chronic cats subjected to selective interruption of either the chemoceptive or the baroceptive afferents from the carotid bifurcation region. The remarkable exaggeration of the blood pressure fall, observed during deep desynchronized sleep in cats subjected to complete sinoaortic deafferentation, is reproduced by selective chemoceptive denervation, although selective baroceptive deafferentation is ineffective in this respect. The neural depressor influences active during sleep are effectively buffered in the intact animal by reflex chemoceptive discharges arising in the carotid bodies and, presumably, in the aortic body as well. The chemoceptors may play a role in circulatory homeostasis in physiological conditions.