Respiratory neurons of the ventral respiratory nucleus of the rabbit and their vagal connections

Abstract

The pattern of firing and responses to electrical stimulation of the ipsilateral vagus nerve were studied in respiratory neurons near the nucleus ambiguus (NA) in the region called "ventral respiratory nucleus". In 41 (out of 77) respiratory neurons orthodromic responses were recorded; the remaining neurons did not respond to stimulation. It is concluded that the NA neurons of the rabbit are not laryngeal motoneurons. Moreover, the short-latency excitatory response of some of these neurons, and long-latency inhibition of the other, suggest that NA neurons may be involved in the processing of vagal information.