Studies on the sensory functions of the upper airway receptors, their central processing mechanisms and the contribution to the reflexes.

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The follwing results were obtained. 1. The whole nerve activity and a number of 'drive' and 'pressure' receptors of the superior laryngeal nerve(SLN) was stimulated by positive pressure and inhibited by negative pressure in the upper airway. in the guinea pig 2. A marked prolongation of T_E, apnea, could be elicited by application of a small amount of capsaicin into the larynx in the guinea pig. 3. Almost of laryngeal irritant receptors in the guinea pig were stimulated by distilled water but not by saline. Some of them could be also stimulated by isotonic dextrose. 4. Mechanical stimuli to the laryngeal mucosa evoked cough reflex in the guinea pig. Such reflex was mediated by both the SLN and RLN afferents. 5. Flow stimulus with room air into the upper airway in the puppy and guinea pig evoked a marked apnea. This reflex was clearly inhibited by warm air, whereas it was considerably augmented by inhalation of menthol. 6. It was clarified that the external branch of SLN and the reccurrent laryngeal nerve contain afferent fibers of which activity showed respiratory modulation during upper airway occlusion. These afferent fibers were also stimulated by smoke and water. These results mentioned above would be expected to contribute to understand the laryngeal afferent information and its reflex, and to further investigate the laryngoneurophysiology.