Urethane and vagotomy reshape cardiorespiratory homeostasis and RTN chemoreceptor function
Abstract
Urethane anesthesia and vagotomy, common procedures in neurophysiology, profoundly alter baseline cardiorespiratory parameters and arterial blood gases. We show that vagotomy not only exacerbates hypercapnia and acidosis but also reshapes retrotrapezoid nucleus chemoreceptor activity, abolishing phasic inhibition and shifting peak activity to inspiration. These findings highlight the critical role of vagal feedback in central respiratory control and caution against overlooking the physiological consequences of standard experimental manipulations.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Neuroscience of respiration and sleep
Thermoregulation and physiological responses
Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Journal of Neurophysiology
- Publisher
- American Physiological Society
- Volume
- 135
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 394–405
- Publication date
- 17 January 2026
- Language
- EN