Studies on the excitability of sinus nerve afferent terminals

1. The excitability of sinus nerve afferent terminals within the nucleus of the tractus solitarius has been studied in cats and rabbits using the technique of antidromic activation. 2. Conditioning stimuli to the hypothalamic defence area increased the excitability of some glossopharyngeal nerve afferents, though no such effects were observed on sinus nerve terminals. 3. Although the excitability of superior laryngeal nerve afferent terminals was observed to fluctuate in phase with the central respiratory cycle, no equivalent variation in sinus nerve terminal excitability were observed. 4. It is concluded that sinus nerve afferent terminals are not influenced by presynaptic mechanisms. Possible sites for the observed modulations of baroreceptor and chemoreceptor reflexes are discussed in the light of these results.