Respiratory and blood pressure responses to stimulation of peripheral afferent nerves

¹ Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, New York University Dental College, New York City

Experiments on cats anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium indicate that a change in the frequency of peripheral nerve stimulation will alter the direction of the blood pressure and respiratory response only after a certain intensity of stimulation is attained. Low voltage-high frequency (1–3 v, 60/sec), high voltage-low frequency (15 v, 10/sec) and low voltage-low frequency stimulation of the tibial and/or peroneal nerves initially produces a decrease in blood pressure (20–50 mm Hg) and a decrease in respiratory minute volume (13–92%). However, high voltage-high frequency stimulation generally produces an increase in blood pressure of 10–65 mm Hg and an 8–14% increase in minute volume. In decerebrate cats, low-voltage, high-frequency as well as high-voltage, high-frequency stimulation of the tibial nerve results in an increase in blood pressure, minute volume, and/or rate and amplitude of phrenic nerve discharge. Frequency and intensity are therefore interrelated. Anatomical specificity of limb peripheral nerve fibers into pressor and depressor afferents is not substantiated.

Key Words: respiratory and blood pressure responses in cat • reflex peripheral nerve stimulation, anesthetized • decerebratecurarized

Submitted on September 10, 1964