Differential effects of halothane anesthesia on the pattern of discharge of inspiratory and expiratory neurons in the region of the retrofacial nucleus.

The influence of halothane anesthesia on respiratory neurons of the region of the retrofacial nucleus were studied in decerebrate, bivagotomized, paralyzed and artificially ventilated cats. Compared with the control situation without anesthesia, the infusion of halothane induced an important decline of spike activity of inspiratory neurons, at times abolishing their activity, but had no significant effect on the expiratory neurons. The functional significance of these findings is briefly discussed.