Brain transections demonstrate the central origin of hypoxic ventilatory depression in carotid body-denervated rats

1. The characteristics of hypoxic ventilation were studied in awake adult rats after brain transections about the intercollicular level. The results were compared with studies made before transection, 17-24 h after bilateral carotid body denervation effected by carotid sinus nerve section. 2. Transection at or below the intercollicular level converted the depressive hypoxic frequency response of control studies to a stimulatory response, increased the stimulation of tidal volume by hypoxia, and so converted the dominant pattern of ventilation in hypoxia from a depression to a progressive stimulation. 3. Transection above the intercollicular level failed to reverse the hypoxic frequency response but increased the stimulation of tidal volume by hypoxia. Consequently minute ventilation progressively increased as the severity of hypoxia increased. 4. The experiments demonstrate that in the adult rat depression of respiratory frequency by hypoxia after carotid body denervation requires the integrity of a region at or immediately above the intercollicular level. In contrast, the stimulation of tidal volume by hypoxia is markedly dependent upon precollicular structures. 5. The results are discussed in relation to the hypoxic depression of fetal breathing and the biphasic hypoxic ventilatory response of the newborn.