Inspiratory-modulated neurons of the rostrolateral pons: effects of pulmonary afferent input.

In decerebrate, paralyzed cats ventilated with a cycle-triggered pump, firing of inspiratory (I) and I-modulated neurons in the pontine respiratory group was markedly increased by withholding lung inflation, indicating strong inhibition by lung afferents. Spectral analysis showed that only a small minority of I-modulated neurons had high-frequency oscillations (HFO), in contrast to medullary I neurons, indicating that the pontine neurons are not closely linked to medullary I networks.