The interaction of reflexes elicited by stimulation of carotid body chemoreceptors and receptors in the nasal mucosa affecting respiration and pulse interval in the dog.

1. The effects on respiration and pulse interval of stimulation of the carotid body chemoreceptors before, during and after stimulation of receptors in the nose have been studied in the anaesthetized dog.2. Stimulation of a carotid body by infusion of cyanide into the ipsi-lateral common carotid artery causes hyperpnoea and either an increase, decrease or no change in pulse interval.3. Excitation of receptors in the nasal mucosa leads to reflex apnoea or a reduction in breathing, and an increase in pulse interval.4. When the carotid bodies are excited by the same dose of cyanide during stimulation of the nasal mucosa, the chemoreceptor-respiratory response is abolished or reduced in size compared with the control effect. On the other hand, the chemoreceptor-cardio-inhibitory response is considerably enhanced.5. The potentiated cardio-inhibitory response of combined chemoreceptor and nasal stimulation could not be accounted for by the change in pulmonary ventilation, arterial P(O2) or P(CO2), or mean arterial blood pressure.6. These results indicate that excitation of the nasal reflex inhibits the chemoreceptor-respiratory reflex response but facilitates the chemoreceptor-cardio-inhibitory reflex response. The possible sites of these interactions between the nasal and chemoreceptor reflexes are discussed.