Pulmonary mechano-receptors strongly affect the breathing pattern in surfactant-depleted animals

Objective: We hypothesized that pulmonary mechano-receptors influence the breathing pattern also in a lung condition similar to RDS in neonates. Vagal cooling experiments suggest that the deep slow breathing observed after vagotomy is not only a result of loss of pulmonary stretch receptor feedback, but also a result of blocked input from C-fibers (unmyelinated fibers). If these effects on breathing change after surfactant depletion/replacement is not known. To study the influence of vagal afferents on breathing pattern, gas exchange, and lung mechanics in young cats with normal, surfactant-depleted and surfacta…