Left atrial pressure elevation recreates the altered lung lymph flow of seizures

We compared the effects of elevated left atrial pressure of central nervous system origin (bicuculline-induced seizures) with an identical pulmonary vascular pressure elevation induced in six sheep by inflation of a balloon in the left atrium. The degree and duration of the consequent elevation in pulmonary lymph flow and the alteration in protein movement in the two groups was identical. Alterations in pulmonary fluid and protein flux resulting from generalized seizures can be explained by the pressor response alone; specific brain-lung neural interactions need not be postulated.