Possible involvement of serotonin in obstructive apnea of the newborn

Biol Neonate. 1994;65(3-4):176-81. doi: 10.1159/000244049.

Abstract

Experiments were conducted on newborn rats in order to study the serotonergic modulation of the central respiratory activity during the neonatal period. In vitro experiments performed on isolated brainstem spinal cord preparations demonstrated that serotonin exerts a permanent excitatory modulation on the central respiratory rhythm generator but depresses the inspiratory motor output to the genioglossus muscle. In vivo experiments confirmed that increasing endogenous serotonin levels decreases the inspiratory activity of the genioglossus and elicits drastic obstructive apneas.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Brain Stem / drug effects
  • Brain Stem / physiopathology
  • Cranial Nerves
  • Electrophysiology
  • Hypoglossal Nerve / drug effects
  • Hypoglossal Nerve / physiopathology
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Motor Neurons / drug effects
  • Motor Neurons / physiology
  • Rats
  • Receptors, Serotonin / drug effects
  • Receptors, Serotonin / physiology
  • Respiratory Center / drug effects
  • Respiratory Center / physiopathology
  • Serotonin / pharmacology
  • Serotonin / physiology*
  • Sleep Apnea Syndromes / etiology*
  • Sleep Apnea Syndromes / physiopathology
  • Spinal Cord / drug effects
  • Spinal Cord / physiopathology

Substances

  • Receptors, Serotonin
  • Serotonin