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Training Rats to Voluntarily Dive Underwater: Investigations of the Mammalian Diving Response

Training Rats to Voluntarily Dive Underwater: Investigations of the Mammalian Diving Response

Published on: November 12, 2014

A robust diving response in the laboratory mouse.

Elissa M Hult¹, Mark J Bingaman², Steven J Swoap³

¹Molecular and Integrative Physiology Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.

Journal of Comparative Physiology. B, Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology

|September 26, 2019

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Mice exhibit a diving response, including bradycardia and hypotension, when voluntarily submerging in water. This physiological reaction, similar to other mammals, is vagally mediated and demonstrates a robust response to underwater conditions.

Area of Science:

Physiology
Mammalian Physiology
Cardiovascular Physiology

Background:

The diving response is a conserved physiological reaction to water submersion observed across mammals.
This response includes bradycardia (slowed heart rate), apnea (breath-holding), and peripheral vasoconstriction.
Previous studies have documented this response in various mammals, but its presence in mice upon voluntary submersion needed further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate whether mice exhibit a diving response when voluntarily submerging in water.
To characterize the physiological changes, specifically heart rate and blood pressure, during voluntary diving in mice.
To determine the role of the vagus nerve in mediating the diving response in mice.

Main Methods:

Keywords:

Blood pressure Dive Heart rate Interbeat interval Reflex

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Training Rats to Voluntarily Dive Underwater: Investigations of the Mammalian Diving Response

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Male and female C57Bl/6J mice were surgically implanted with telemeters for arterial pressure monitoring.

Mice were trained to voluntarily dive underwater to a depth of 40 cm over 4-6 seconds.

Physiological parameters including interbeat interval (heart rate) and diastolic pressure were recorded before, during, and after dives.

The effect of atropine pre-treatment on the diving response was assessed to evaluate vagal mediation.

Main Results:

Voluntary submersion induced a significant bradycardia, with interbeat interval increasing from 87 ± 6 ms to 458 ± 104 ms.
A substantial drop in diastolic pressure occurred during dives, decreasing to 56 ± 16 mmHg from a baseline of 99 ± 14 mmHg.
Mice experienced transient hypertension upon emergence, with diastolic pressure rising to 131 ± 17 mmHg.
Atropine pre-treatment abolished both the bradycardia and hypotension, indicating vagal mediation.

Conclusions:

Mice demonstrate a robust diving response characterized by bradycardia and hypotension upon voluntary water submersion.
The diving response in mice is primarily mediated by the vagus nerve.
These findings confirm the presence of this conserved mammalian physiological response in mice, providing a model for further research.