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Reducing ventilatory response to carbon dioxide by breathing cold air.
The American Review of Respiratory Disease
|May 1, 1984
Summary
Cooling nasal receptors reduces the breathing response to carbon dioxide (CO2). However, nasal anesthesia increases this response, indicating a role for nasal receptors in respiratory control.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Respiratory Control
- Sensory Receptors
Background:
- The nasal cavity contains receptors that may influence breathing.
- Understanding these receptors is crucial for respiratory control research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of cooling nasal receptors on the ventilatory response to carbon dioxide (CO2).
- To examine the role of nasal receptors in respiratory control by assessing responses before and after nasal anesthesia.
Main Methods:
- Subjects rebreathed 8% CO2 in oxygen at warm and cold temperatures.
- Nasal response to CO2 was measured before and after topical nasal anesthesia.
- Nasal and bronchial resistance (FEV1) were measured to exclude confounding factors.
Main Results:
- Cold air significantly reduced the mean ventilatory response to CO2.
- Topical nasal anesthesia increased the ventilatory response to CO2 at warm temperatures.
- Cold air breathing reduced both nasal inspiratory and expiratory resistance.
Conclusions:
- Cooling of nasal receptors attenuates the ventilatory response to CO2.
- Nasal receptors play a role in the control of breathing.
- Nasal cooling may decrease airway resistance.