Volume feedback during cough in anesthetized cats, effects of occlusions and modulation summary

The study investigates the effects of 6 occlusion conditions on the mechanically induced cough reflex in 15 anesthetized (pentobarbital) spontaneously breathing cats (14♂, 1♀). Esophageal pressure and integrated EMG activities of inspiratory (I) diaphragm and expiratory (E) abdominal muscles were recorded and analyzed. Occlusions: inspiratory (Io), continual I (cIo), during I and active E (I+Eo) cough phase, during I and then E phase with short releasing of airflow before each phase (I-Eo), and E occlusion (Eo) had little influence on cough number. Only continual E occlusion (cEo) reduced the number of coughs by 19 % (to 81 %, p < 0.05). Cough I esophageal pressure reached higher amplitudes under all conditions, but only Eo caused increased I diaphragm motor drive (p < 0.05). Cough E efforts (abdominal motor drive and E amplitudes of esophageal pressure) increased during Eo, decreased during I+Eo (p  < 0.05), and did not change significantly under other conditions (p > 0.05). All I blocks resulted in prolonged I cough characteristics (p < 0.05) mainly cough I phase (incrementing part of the diaphragm activity). Shorter I phase occurred with cEo (p < 0.05). Cough cycle time and active E phase (from the I maximum to the end of cough E motor drive) prolonged (p < 0.05) during all occlusions (E phase duration statistically non-significantly for I+Eo). Airflow block during cough (occlusions) results in secondary changes in the cough response due to markedly altered function of cough central pattern generator and cough motor pattern produced. Cough compensatory effects during airflow resistances are more favorable compared to occlusions. Volume feedback represents significant factor of cough modulation under various pathological obstruction and/or restriction conditions of the respiratory system.