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V J Mallios

Publications and source records attributed to V J Mallios.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

Muscarinic receptor subtypes are differentially distributed across brain stem respiratory nuclei.

Cholinergic mechanisms are known to play a key role in the regulation of breathing, but the distribution of muscarinic receptor (mAChR) subtypes has not been localized within brain stem respiratory nuclei. This study examined the hypothesis that mAChR subtypes are heterogeneously distributed across brain stem nuclei that control breathing. With the use of in vitro receptor autoradiography, the results provide the first selective labeling and quantitative mapping of M1, M2, and M3 mAChR subtypes in cat brain stem regions known to regulate breathing. Among brain stem nuclei known to contain respiratory-related neurons, the greatest amount of mAChR binding was measured in the lateral and medial parabrachial nuclei and the lateral nucleus of the solitary tract. Fewer mAChRs were localized in nuclei comprising the ventral respiratory group (nucleus ambiguous, retrofacial nucleus) and ventral medulla (retrotrapezoid nucleus and ventrolateral medulla). The data provide an essential first step for future studies aiming to specify the regulatory role of mAChR subtypes within brain stem respiratory nuclei.

Animals↗

Localization of muscarinic receptor subtypes in brain stem areas regulating sleep.

Muscarinic cholinergic receptors (mAChRs) within the pontine brain stem play a key role in generating rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Using an in vitro autoradiographic technique that permits selective labeling of mAChR subtypes by radioligand binding, this study provides the first quantitative map of mAChR subtypes in cat brain stem areas important for REM sleep generation. M1, M2 and M3 mAChR subtypes were distributed heterogeneously throughout the brain stem. For all 3 mAChR subtypes, the greatest levels of binding were found in the dorsal raphe and locus coeruleus, and the least amount of binding was in the reticular formation. These findings are consistent with data from in vivo studies showing that multiple mAChR subtypes are involved in REM sleep generation.

Animals↗

Imposed breathing pattern alters respiratory work during exercise.

Previous studies have shown the existence of an ideal respiratory rate (fR) for a given ventilation at which the respiratory work rate (J.s-1) is minimum. The purpose of the present study was to measure the effect of fR, tidal volume and breathing pattern on the respiratory work per breath and respiratory work rate during exercise on a cycle ergometer. Three work rates on the cycle ergometer were used and at each work rate the ventilation was kept constant. Two different breathing patterns were applied at each ventilation. Nine male trained cyclists [mean (SD) maximum oxygen consumption, 57 (5.47) ml.kg-1.min-1] participated in this study. The results indicated that there was a significant difference in the respiratory work per breath, with different breathing patterns at a given ventilation and for all levels of ventilation. There was no significant difference in the respiratory work rate with different breathing patterns at a given ventilation and for all levels of ventilation. In addition, the respiratory work per breath and respiratory work rate were increased with increasing ventilation. Thus, the data indicated that the manipulation of tidal volume, respiratory rate and breathing pattern had no significant effect on the energy cost of breathing for a given ventilation. The absence of this significant effect on respiratory work rate was observed across a range of ventilation from 24 to 72 l.min-1. These findings suggest that the breathing pattern is predominantly an expression of the function of the higher respiratory brain center instead of energy economy, at least within this range of ventilation.

Adult↗