Extravagal respiratory reflex from pulmonary nociceptors

: A restricted damage of the lung parenchyma before vagotomy evokes an increase of inspiratory discharges of the diaphragm and an increase of the rate of respiration. Similar damage in vagotomized animals evokes only an increase of inspiratory discharges. The rate of respiration does not alter at all or changes insignificantly. An increase of the depth of respiration evoked by the lung nociceptors innervated by the extravagal afferents is of great importance because the lung ventilation is best provided by deep respiration. Probably not only the afferent fibers of the vagus nerves, but also the extravagal lung afferents must be taken into consideration in analysis of the relationship between the rate and depth of lung ventilation, particularly under pathological conditions.