Role of cerebral fluids in control of respiration as studied in unanesthetized goats

Abstract

Respiratory responses to inhaled CO2 were measured in unanesthetized goats during repeated perfusions of the ventriculocisternal system through chronically implanted cannulas. [HCO3–] and pH were measured in carotid loop blood and cisternal outflow. Average steady-state alveolar ventilation increased fourfold when cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-[HCO3–] was reduced from 30 to 15 mm/liter at constant, normal CO2 pressure or threefold when CSF pH changed from 7.32 to 7.21 at constant, normal CSF-[HCO3–]. Sensitivity was two- to sevenfold greater than reported for anesthetized animals. At constant CSF pH the ventilatory response to inhaled CO2 was 60% of the isobicarbonate response. Pco2 in cisternal outflow was shown to approximate that in cerebral tissue. HCO3– flux was measured as a function of CSF-[HCO3–] and concentration profiles between CSF and capillary blood were considered. Alveolar ventilation is a single linear function of [H+] in tissue fluid located two-thirds to three-fourths of the distance along the functional concentration gradient of HCO3– between CSF and blood at all values of Pco2 and CSF-[HCO3–] which we investigated.