[Respiration rate as one of the indices of the intensity of motivation-emotional reactions in rabbits].

The rate and degree of irregularity of the respiratory rhythm was studied in rabbits during spontaneous and forcible feeding and stimulation of the tooth pulp. Respiration rate changed only during the tooth pulp stimulation, while irregularity of the respiratory rhythm increased in all cases. It is suggested that the extent of the irregularity reflects the degree of motivational-emotional reactions, while the change in respiration rate characterizes the share of respiration in the vegetative provision of behaviour. A special formula is proposed for calculating the irregularity of the respiratory rhythm.