Effect of partial spinal cord ablation on exercise hyperpnea in ponies.
Abstract: We addressed the role of spinal afferent information in the exercise hyperpnea. Arterial PCO2 (PaCO2) was assessed in 10 normal ponies during low (1.8 mph 7% or 17% grade) or moderate (6 mph 7% grade) treadmill exercise. After control studies, bilateral spinal ablation (SA) of the dorsolateral sulcus and dorsolateral funiculus at L2 was performed in seven ponies. In normal ponies within the first 90 s of exercise, PaCO2 initially decreased 2.7, 4.1, and 5.2 Torr below rest at the three work loads, respectively (P less than 0.05). PaCO2 thereafter increased toward resting levels but remained 1.1, 2.9, and 4.9 Torr below rest during the steady state of exercise (P less than 0.05). One month post-SA, PaCO2 at the exercise onset decreased 1.5, 2.3, and 5.2 Torr and in the steady state was 0.7, 1.9 and 4.9 Torr below rest at the three work loads, respectively. The changes in PaCO2 from rest to exercise (delta PaCO2) were calculated for each pony in the rest to work transition and between rest and steady-state exercise and then averaged for each group of ponies. After SA, delta PaCO2's were significantly less than pre-SA only in the rest to work transition at the low work loads (P less than 0.05). No differences were found in steady-state delta PaCO2's. The modest attenuation of the exercise hypocapnia at the lower workloads in SA ponies suggests that spinal afferent information does play some role in the exercise hyperpnea in awake ponies. Our data probably underestimate this role because our SA surgery is only a partial deafferentation.
Publication Date: 1990-11-01 PubMed ID: 2125596DOI: 10.1152/jappl.1990.69.5.1821Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Research Support
- U.S. Gov't
- Non-P.H.S.
- Research Support
- U.S. Gov't
- P.H.S.
Summary
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The research investigates the role spinal afferent information plays in the rapid increase of the rate and depth of breathing (known as exercise hyperpnea) experienced by ponies during exercise. It found that after the removal of specific sections of the ponies’ spinal cords, the decrease in carbon dioxide levels in their blood was slightly less severe during low-intensity exercise, suggesting spinal afferent information likely has some involvement in exercise hyperpnea.
Methodology
- The research was conducted on 10 healthy ponies.
- The rate of their breathing (PaCO2 – Arterial CO2 pressure) was assessed during low and moderate treadmill exercise sessions.
- Bilateral spinal ablation of the dorsolateral sulcus and dorsolateral funiculus at an area called L2 was performed on 7 of the 10 ponies one month later.
- The PaCO2 levels were measured again and compared with the results before the spinal ablation.
Results
- Exercise led to a decrease in PaCO2 levels below resting values in all the ponies, with a greater decrease for higher workloads.
- However, following spinal ablation (SA), the decrease was significantly less during the transition from rest to low-intensity work, though not for moderate workloads or at steady state.
- This suggests that spinal afferent information plays a role in the onset of exercise hyperpnea during low-intensity activities.
- The researchers caution that this influence might be greater than the results suggest, as the procedure used in the study only removed a part of the spine’s afferent system.
- Future research should explore this further using more comprehensive deafferentation techniques.
Significance
- The study provides new evidence of the role the spinal cord plays in regulating breathing rates during exercise.
- It also suggests that damage to or removal of certain areas of the spine could influence breathing rates during exercise, which could have implications for veterinary medicine and the treatment of spinal injuries.
Cite This Article
APA
Pan LG, Forster HV, Wurster RD, Murphy CL, Brice AG, Lowry TF.
(1990).
Effect of partial spinal cord ablation on exercise hyperpnea in ponies.
J Appl Physiol (1985), 69(5), 1821-1827.
https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.1990.69.5.1821 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Program in Physical Therapy, Marquette University, Milwaukee 53233.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Arteries
- Carbon Dioxide / blood
- Denervation
- Horses
- Motor Activity / physiology
- Reproducibility of Results
- Respiration
- Rest
- Spinal Cord / physiology
Grant Funding
- HL-25739 / NHLBI NIH HHS
- S32-H107354-01A1-CLN-2 / CLC NIH HHS
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Amann M, Blain GM, Proctor LT, Sebranek JJ, Pegelow DF, Dempsey JA. Group III and IV muscle afferents contribute to ventilatory and cardiovascular response to rhythmic exercise in humans.. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2010 Oct;109(4):966-76.
- Potts JT, Rybak IA, Paton JF. Respiratory rhythm entrainment by somatic afferent stimulation.. J Neurosci 2005 Feb 23;25(8):1965-78.
- Mateika JH, Duffin J. A review of the control of breathing during exercise.. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 1995;71(1):1-27.
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