Immediate response to expiratory threshold load.

In anesthetized rabbits, cats and dogs the end-inspiratory volume referred to normal FRC (deltaVe.i.) of the first breath during expiratory threshold load (ETL) was greater than control deltaVe.i. The increase of deltaVe.i. was roughly proportional to the increase of end-expiratory volume relative to normal FRC (deltaVe.e.) caused by ETL. During squeezing of the rib cage or of the abdomen or after cordotomy at T1 the phenomenon occurred nearly to the same extent. This suggests that afferent impulses from the chest wall are not essential in determining the phenomenon. The first inspiration during ETL occurred after a delay that was roughly proportional to the increase of deltaVe.e: the arterial Pco2, however, was not significantly increased at the time of the first inspiration during ETL. After bilateral vagotomy the first inspiration during ETL was no longer increased. An explantation of the increased deltaVe.i. of the first inspiration during ETL is provided on the basis of the vagal dependent tidal volume-inspiratory duration characteristic of the respiratory center.