Central respiratory activity in rapid eye movement sleep: augmenting and late inspiratory cells [corrected]

The activities of 15 augmenting and 11 late inspiratory cells were studied in wakefulness, nonrapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep in adult cats. All but one of each cell type were significantly more active in REM than in NREM sleep or relaxed wakefulness, indicating that central respiratory drive is increased in REM sleep. A negative correlation between the discharge rates of augmenting and late inspiratory cells and the durations of inspirations was characteristic of REM sleep. Although augmenting and late inspiratory activity increased in REM sleep, respiratory efforts in REM sleep were as likely to be lower than those in NREM sleep as they were to be greater. Thus, unknown factors can counteract the increased central drive. There was a positive correlation between the discharge rate of a cell on breath n and on breath n + 1, indicating that processes with a long time constant control respiratory drive in REM sleep. It is proposed that REM-specific reticular cells drive the respiratory oscillator and its output cells to produce the patterns of breathing in REM sleep.