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The Interrelationship Between Pulmonary Mechanics and the Spontaneous Breathing Pattern in the Tokay Lizard, Gekko Gecko
1 Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T2A9, Canada
The normal breathing pattern of the Tokay gecko (Gekko gecko) consists of single breaths or bursts of a few breaths separated by periods of breath holding. Increases in pulmonary ventilation that accompany rises in body temperature are caused by increases in respiratory frequency due to shortening of the periods of breath holding. Tidal volume and breath duration remain relatively constant. Measurements of the mechanical work associated with spontaneous breathing yielded values that were similar to those calculated for breaths of the same size and duration based on work curves generated during pump ventilation of anaesthetized animals. In this species, the pattern of periodic breathing and the ventilatory responses to changes in respiratory drive correspond with predictions of optimal breathing patterns based on calculations of the mechanical cost of ventilation. Bilateral vagotomy drastically alters the breathing pattern producing an elevation in tidal volume, a slowing of breathing frequency, and a prolongation of the breath duration. These alterations greatly increase the mechanical cost of ventilation. These data suggest that periodic breathing in this species may represent an adaptive strategy which is under vagal afferent control and which serves to minimize the cost of breathing.
Key words: Pulmonary mechanics, control of breathing, reptiles
Accepted on April 9, 1984
