Laryngeal apnea in rat pups: effects of age and body temperature

In neonatal mammals of many species, including human infants, apnea and other reflex responses frequently arise from stimulation of laryngeal receptors by ingested or regurgitated liquids. These reflexes, mediated by afferents in the superior laryngeal nerves (SLNs), are collectively known as the laryngeal chemoreflex (LCR) and are suspected to be responsible for some cases of the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The LCR is strongly enhanced by mild increases in body temperature in decerebrate piglets, a finding that is of interest because SIDS victims are often found in overheated environments. Because of the experimental advantages of studying reflex development and mechanisms in neonatal rodents, we have developed methods for eliciting laryngeal apnea in anesthetized rat pups and have examined the influence of mild hyperthermia in animals ranging in age from 3 to 21 days. We found that apnea and respiratory disruption, elicited either by intralaryngeal water or by electrical stimulation of the SLN, occurred at all ages studied. Raising body temperature by 2-3 degrees C prolonged the respiratory disturbance in response to either stimulus. This effect of hyperthermia was prominent in the youngest animals and diminished with age. We conclude that many studies of the LCR restricted to larger neonatal animals in the past can be performed in infant rodents using appropriate methods. Moreover, the developmental changes in the LCR and in the thermal modulation of the LCR seem to follow different temporal profiles, implying that distinct neurophysiological processes may mediate the LCR and thermal prolongation of the LCR.