Inspiratory muscle activity during unloaded and obstructed rebreathing in dogs

Moving-average electromyogram (EMG) of the diaphragm (DI), scalenes, and cranial and caudal parasternals was assessed in anesthetized, supine, and head-up dogs during rebreathing. The shape of EMG trajectory was similar for all muscles and conditions; activation of different muscles could be thus compared on the basis of changes in peak activity. In intact dogs changes in peak activity were greater for the scalenes and cranial parasternals than for the caudal parasternals and greater for the inspiratory thoracic muscles (ITM) than for the DI. Posture, vagotomy, and cordotomy at C7-T1 did not affect the rate of rise of DI activity. The relations between peak activity of ITM did not change because of posture, vagotomy, and phrenicotomy. Vagotomy selectively depressed the rate of rise of ITM activity, but relative changes in peak ITM activity for a given change in peak DI activity were independent of intact vagi. Differences in the pattern of activation between inspiratory muscles with rebreathing are largely independent of proprioceptive inputs and likely reflect properties of central control mechanisms. However, airway occlusion at end expiration caused a reflex fall of DI activity and reflex increase of ITM activity in intact and vagotomized dogs. Cordotomy at C7-T1 did not change DI response, whereas reduction of ITM activity occurred after phrenicotomy, indicating that both facilitatory and inhibitory segmental inputs are involved in ITM response to loading.