Brainstem catecholaminergic neurones and breathing control during postnatal development in male and female rats

摘要

Key points class="unordered" style="list-style-type:disc" id="tjp12884-list-0001">The brainstem catecholaminergic (CA) modulation on ventilation changes with development.We determined the role of the brainstem CA system in ventilatory control under normocapnic and hypercapnic conditions during different phases of development [postnatal day (P)7–8, P14–15 and P20–21] in male and female Wistar rats.Brainstem CA neurones produce a tonic inhibitory drive that affects breathing frequency in P7–8 rats and provide an inhibitory drive during hypercapnic conditions in both males and females at P7–8 and P14–15.In pre‐pubertal rats, brainstem CA neurones become excitatory for the CO2 ventilatory response in males but remain inhibitory in females.Diseases such as sudden infant death syndrome, congenital central hypoventilation syndrome and Rett syndrome have been associated with abnormalities in the functioning of CA neurones; therefore, the results of the present study contribute to a better understanding of this system.