Effect of Frontal Section Through the Hypothalamus on Respiration in Diencephalic Cats

¹ From the Provincial Drug Control Laboratory, School of Tropical Medicine, Calcutta, India

Development of a panting type of breathing in decorticate cats following frontal (coronal) section passing within 1 mm in front of the optic chiasma has been observed. Frontal section made further rostrally or further caudally immediately in front or through the tubercinerium is not followed by similar respiratory change. It is suggested that an anterior periventricular polypneic center, normally tonically inhibited by rostrally placed centers, through corticohypothalamic fibers, is released from the rostral control by the severance of these fibers, by a frontal section passing immediately in front of the optic chiasma.