M muscarinic receptors mediate acetylcholine-induced suppressant effects on the cough reflex in the caudal nucleus tractus solitarii of the rabbit.

It has been shown that muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) located within the caudal nucleus tractus solitarii (cNTS) mediate a cholinergic inhibitory control mechanism of the cough reflex. Thus, identification of the involved mAChR subtypes could be of considerable interest for novel therapeutic strategies. In pentobarbital sodium-anesthetized, spontaneously breathing rabbits we investigated the contribution of different mAChR subtypes in the modulation of mechanically and chemically induced cough reflex.

The lamprey respiratory network: Some evolutionary aspects.

Breathing is a complex behaviour that involves rhythm generating networks. In this review, we examine the main characteristics of respiratory rhythm generation in vertebrates and, in particular, we describe the main results of our studies on the role of neural mechanisms involved in the neuromodulation of the lamprey respiration. The lamprey respiratory rhythm generator is located in the paratrigeminal respiratory group (pTRG) and shows similarities with the mammalian preBötzinger complex.

Neural mechanisms underlying respiratory regulation within the preBötzinger complex of the rabbit.

The preBötzinger complex (preBötC) is a medullary area essential for normal breathing and widely recognized as necessary and sufficient to generate the inspiratory phase of respiration. It has been studied mainly in rodents. Here we report the main results of our studies revealing the characteristics of the rabbit preBötC identified by means of neuronal recordings, D,L-homocysteic acid microinjections and histological controls.

Activation of μ-opioid receptors differentially affects the preBötzinger Complex and neighbouring regions of the respiratory network in the adult rabbit.

The role of the different components of the respiratory network in the mediation of opioid-induced respiratory depression is still unclear. We investigated the contribution of the preBötzinger Complex (preBötC) and the neighbouring Bötzinger Complex (BötC) and inspiratory portion of the ventral respiratory group (iVRG) in anesthetized, vagotomized, paralyzed and artificially ventilated adult rabbits making use of bilateral microinjections (30-50 nl) of the μ-opioid receptor agonist [D-Ala, N-Me-Phe, Gly-ol]-enkephalin (DAMGO). Dose-dependent effects were observed.