Abstract
Effects of cutaneous touch and pressure stimuli upon respiratory movements and electromyograms in rabbits were observed.
Touch and pressure stimuli were imposed on the skin of earlap by rubbing with a screwdriver tip or a brush and clipping with a clip, respectively. Pneumogram of thorax and abdomen were transformed to the reflecting light beam on a small tambour, tracing photographically on the bromidepaper of electromagnetic oscillograph. EMG of intercartilagineous and interosseous portions of m. intercostalis internus, interosseous portions of intercostalis externus and diaphragms were traced respectively by the same procedure.
Results obtained were as follows; (1) Cutaneous touch stimuli caused temporary enhancement of respiratory amplitude and rate. In the EMG, temporary shortening of discharge interval, discharge period and pause of discharges were observed. Recruitment of neuromuscular unit was observed. (2) Cutaneous Pressure stimuli caused the reverse effects upon pneumogram and EMG to those of the above stimuli, which lasted with slight accommodation. (3) Immediately after onset and offset of the cutaneous clipping, however, the similar effect as in tough stimuli was caused. It seems to be likely to consider the above stimuli are a kind of touch stimuli as well, because their intensity show the temporal and spatial change.
