Apnoea and bradycardia from submersion in "chronically" decerebrated cats.

• In "chronically" but not in acutely decerebrated cats, submersion of the head caused apnoea and marked bradycardia, associated with a maintained or slightly raised arterial pressure. Since these reflex adjustments, though very reproducible, occurred with a varying latency and could be induced also by nasal injection of water, they appeared to be, at lest in part, elicited from the upper respiratory passages. Thus, a terrestrial mammal, reputed to shun any form of immersion, can exhibit adjustments during head submersion, similar to those in habitually diving species. This response pattern is basically organized at the lower brainstem level.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Animals

Apnea

etiology

Blood Pressure

Bradycardia

etiology

Brain

physiology

Brain Stem

physiology

Cats

Cerebral Decortication

Immersion

Reflex

Vagotomy

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)