Bronchomotor responses to hypoxia and hypercapnia in decerebrate cats

Decerebrate animals are often used in investigations of the control of breathing because anesthesia-induced depression of respiratory reflexes is absent. We therefore investigated the level of tone and responsiveness of airway smooth muscle in seven decerebrate, paralyzed, and ventilated cats. Specifically, we measured the changes in pulmonary resistance (RL) and dynamic pulmonary compliance (CLdyn) in response to hypoxia and hypercapnia. All cats responded to hypoxia (approximately 10% O2 in N2) with significant increases (mean 49%, range 5-156%) in RL from a mean control value of 0.0197 +/- 0.0081 (SD) cmH2O.ml-1.s. During inhalation of 5% CO2 in O2, RL increased significantly (mean 59%, range 16-135%) from a mean control value of 0.0190 +/- 0.0056 cmH2O.ml-1.s. Decreases in CLdyn during hypoxia and hypercapnia were much smaller, averaging -9 and -11%, respectively. After atropine was administered, average control RL fell 50%, from 0.0269 to 0.0134 cmH2O.ml-1.s (P < 0.05; n = 4). Hypoxic and hypercapnic gas mixtures did not affect pulmonary mechanics after atropine was administered. In three cats, oscillations of RL were synchronized to phrenic activity but only at low respiratory frequencies (approximately 12 cycles/min), indicating that airway smooth muscle responded slowly to vagal input. Pentobarbital sodium, like atropine, reduced control RL in three cats. These cats lost their bronchoconstrictor response to hypercapnia but had augmented responses to hypoxia compared with preanesthetic responses. We conclude that decerebrate cats possess resting bronchomotor tone and retain their responsiveness to hypoxia and hypercapnia. Thus the decerebrate cat is a useful model for studying the control of tracheobronchial smooth muscle.