Ventilatory and metabolic responses to cold and CO-induced hypoxia in awake rats

Experiments were carried out in awake rats to compare the effects of ambient and CO-induced hypoxia on thermoregulation and ventilatory control. Measurements of metabolic rate (VO2), ventilation (V), shivering (EMG) and colonic temperature (Tc) were made at fixed ambient temperature (Ta) of 25, 15 and 5 degrees C. Animals were exposed to ambient hypoxia (FIO2 of 21, 17, 14, 12 and 10%) or to CO hypoxia (FICO of 0.03% in air). The results show that: (1) Both ambient and CO-induced hypoxia provoked decreases in VO2 and Tc which were more marked at low Ta values; non-shivering thermogenesis was depressed with both types of hypoxia, whereas shivering was depressed only with ambient hypoxia; (2) Ventilatory response to ambient hypoxia was blunted at low Ta values and CO-induced hypoxia did not affect ventilation. It is concluded that: (1) hypoxia affects markedly the control of Tc by altering thermogenesis: inhibition of non-shivering thermogenesis seems to result from a decrease in CaO2 whereas inhibition of shivering seems to result from a decrease in PaO2; (2) during hypoxia, ventilation is controlled by the opposite stimulation from chemoreceptors and inhibition from hypometabolism. However, as revealed by CO-induced hypoxia, another stimulatory factor may also interact with the control of breathing.