Aspects of the control of breathing in the golden-mantled ground squirrel

Spermophilus lateralis, the golden-mantled ground squirrel, while euthermic exhibits a strong hypoxic ventilatory response, but a relatively blunted hypercapnic ventilatory response similar to other semi-fossorial mammals. Under resting conditions, carotid body chemoreceptors provide a tonic excitatory input to the frequency component of ventilation. Carotid body denervation (CBX) results in a 40% decrease in minute ventilation (V). The overall ventilatory response to hypoxia is unaffected by CBX, although the ventilatory threshold is significantly shifted to lower levels of inspired O₂. CBX also has little effect on the overall response to hypercapnia. Thus, in S. lateralis, it appears that changes in the partial pressure of O₂ (P0₂) In the blood act centrally, rather than peripherally, to play a predominate role in ventilatory control. Chronic exposure to hypoxia and hypercapnia (CHH, 17% O₂ and 4% CO₂) does not result in overall ventilatory acclimation, with minute ventilation being similar to control squirrels acutely exposed to hypoxic and hypercapnic conditions. In spite of this, CHH exposure does result in adjustments to respiration; frequency is decreased and tidal volume is elevated compared to control squirrels acutely exposed to CHH conditions. Overall V sensitivities to both hypoxia and hypercapnia are not significantly altered by CHH exposure. It appears that acclimation to chronic hypoxic and hypercapnic conditions in S. lateralis may increase alveolar minute ventilation relative to total minute ventilation and thus minimize the changes in arterial PO₂ and Pco₂ during hypoxic and hypercapnic exposure. During entrance into hibernation, as metabolic rate and body temperature decline, concomitant decreases in ventilation occur. Two patterns of respiration occur during deep hibernation; a burst breathing pattern characterized by long non-ventilatory periods (Tnvp) separated by bursts of several breaths and a single breath pattern characterized by single breaths separated by a relatively short Tnvp. In S. lateralis during hibernation at body temperatures between 6° and 10°C, a burst breathing pattern prevails. At slightly lower body temperatures, less than 4°C, a single breath breathing pattern prevails. Both burst breathing and single breath breathing squirrels have similar overall levels of resting minute ventilation. Burst breathing squirrels exhibit a significant respiratory response to hypoxia (3% O₂) and when the decreases in metabolic rate during hibernation are taken into account (air convection requirement) their hypoxic sensitivity is similar to that in awake S. lateralis. In contrast, single breath breathing squirrels do not respond to hypoxia at any level tested (down to 3% O₂). Both burst breathing and single breath breathing squirrels show large ventilatory repsonses to hypercapnia. In the burst breathing state hypercapnic sensitivity is significantly higher compared to the single breath breathing state, due to an augmented frequency response during burst breathing. In both groups of hibernating squirrels ventilation is increased during hypercapnia solely by decreases in the nonventilatory period. When ventilation is standardized for the decreases in metabolic rate during hibernation both burst breathing and single breath breathing S. laterlis exhibit a much higher hypercapnic sensitivity than that seen in awake S. lateralis. Carotid body denervation has little effect on ventilatory pattern generation or ventilatory sensitivities to hypoxia and hypercapnia in hibernating squirrels. It appears that during hibernation in S. lateralis, ventilation is controlled primarily by changes in the partial pressure of CO₂ (Pc0₂) in tne blood acting centrally to stimulate ventilation. The burst breathing pattern is produced centrally, as are the respiratory responses to hypoxia and hypercapnia. Thus, central mechanisms involved with ventilatory control are extremely important in both the euthermic state and the hibernating state, but the chemical stimuli regulating ventilation appear to be fundamentally different in euthermic and hibernating S. lateralis.Science, Faculty ofZoology, Department ofGraduat