In a recent issue of The Journal of Physiology, Hajiha et al. (2009) reported a dose-related suppression of genioglossal muscle activity in anaesthetized rats in response to the direct application of opioid compounds (primarily fentanyl) onto the hypoglossal motor nucleus. The decrement in muscle activity was substantial, particularly at higher opioid doses. There is a considerable literature in man indicating that the genioglossus muscle is an important pharyngeal dilator and that decrements in the activity of this and other upper airway dilator muscles decreases pharyngeal patency and probably play an important role in the pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apnoea (White, 2005)).
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