[Pulmonary ventilation during passive leg movements].

Passive leg movements induced in man at a frequency of 1 Hz by an electric cycle increase pulmonary ventilation after a delay of 200-400 msec. No chemical stimuli can account for this effect since a longer delay of 1 to 5 respiratory acts (7) is required for them to drive the respiratory system. Consequently the hypothesis is made that a neural mechanism, put into action by the moving legs, provides the adequate stimuli.