Role of serotonin in the regulation of respiratory system function

Role of serotonin in the regulation of respiratory system function. Acta Physiol. Pol., 1978, 29 (2): 131--138. This study examined respiratory centre reflector excitability, the electrical activity of respiratory muscles, outer breathing, pH and arterial blood gas composition under conditions of experimentally induced serotonin excess or deficiency in 48 dogs. It was found that excess of serotonin in the animals leads a strenghthening of respiratory action in terms of increased respiratory centre bioelectrical excitability, muscular electrical activity and outer respiratory indices, such as frequence, volume and lung ventilation per min. In addition the pH of blood shifted to alkalic and oxygen tension of the blood increased while CO2 tension of the blood decreased.