Respiratory responses to aortic and carotid chemoreceptor activation in the dog

Respiratory responses arising from both chemical stimulation of vascularly isolated aortic body (AB) and carotid body (CB) chemoreceptors and electrical stimulation of aortic nerve (AN) and carotid sinus nerve (CSN) afferents were compared in the anesthetized dog. Respiratory reflexes were measured as changes in inspiratory duration (TI), expiratory duration (TE), and peak averaged phrenic nerve activity (PPNG). Tonic AN and AB stimulations shortened TI and TE with no change in PPNG, while tonic CSN and CB stimulations shortened TE, increased PPNG, and transiently lengthened TI. Phasic AB and AN stimulations throughout inspiration shortened TI with no changes in PPNG or the following TE; however, similar phasic stimulations of the CB and CSN increased both TI and PPNG and decreased the following TE. Phasic AN stimulation during expiration decreased TE and the following TI with no change in PPNG. Similar stimulations of the CB and CSN decreased TE; however, the following TI and PPNG were increased. These findings differ from those found in the cat and suggest that aortic chemoreceptors affect mainly phase timing, while carotid chemoreceptors affect both timing and respiratory drive.