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Research Article Free access | 10.1172/JCI109510

Serotonin and the control of ventilation in awake rats.

E B Olson Jr, J A Dempsey, and D R McCrimmon

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Published August 1, 1979 - More info

Published in Volume 64, Issue 2 on August 1, 1979
J Clin Invest. 1979;64(2):689–693. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI109510.
© 1979 The American Society for Clinical Investigation
Published August 1, 1979 - Version history
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Abstract

In awake, unrestrained, intact rats, reserpine, para-chlorophenylalanine, 6-fluorotryptophan, and para-chloroamphetamine depleted whole brain serotonin and produced a substantial and sustained hyperventilation as evidenced by a 5--9 torr drop in PaCO2. Administration of 5-hydroxytryptophan to rats treated with para-chlorophenylalanine partially alleviated the hyperventilation. No change in ventilation was observed after alpha-methyltyrosine. 5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine produced contradictory results. On the basis of these pharmacological studies, we propose that some serotonin-mediated nerve transmissions might function under physiological conditions to inhibit the central nervous system output which controls normal breathing.

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