REPETITIVE FIRING OF RESPIRATORY NEURONES DURING THEIR BURST ACTIVITY

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Abstract
Various factors have been studied which modify the frequency of action potentials during the burst discharge of respiratory neurones in the brain-stem of decerebrate, decerebellate cats. Most of the experiments described were undertaken to test the hypothesis that the maintained discharge of respiratory neurones is due to a process of self-reexcitation within the networks of inspiratory or expiratory neurones. A widespread direct electrical stimulus, calculated to excite all neurones of the medullary respiratory system simultaneously, proved capable of bringingtheburst-discharge of inspiratory or expiratory neurones to a sudden end. When the same direct stimulus was of just insufficient strength to halt the burst of respiratory neurones, their discharge was considerably prolonged. The results are interpreted as supporting the hypothesis of self-reexcitation. Evidence for the existence of reciprocal innervation between these 2 networks is discussed and some attempt is made to draw a crude picture of the whole respiratory mechanism.

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