Influence of nasal airflow temperature and pressure on alae nasi electrical activity

1991 ◽  
Vol 71 (6) ◽  
pp. 2283-2291 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Wheatley ◽  
T. C. Amis ◽  
L. A. Engel
Keyword(s):  
Upper Airway ◽  
Normal Subjects ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Emg Activity ◽  
Nasal Airflow ◽  
Nasal Breathing ◽  
Oral Breathing ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Temperature And Pressure ◽  
Nasal Flow

The influence of nasal airflow, temperature, and pressure on upper airway muscle electromyogram (EMG) was studied during steady-state exercise in five normal subjects. Alae nasi (AN) and genioglossus EMG activity was recorded together with nasal and oral airflows and pressures measured simultaneously by use of a partitioned face mask. At constant ventilations between 30 and 50 l/min, peak inspiratory AN activity during nasal breathing (7.2 +/- 1.4 arbitrary units) was greater than that during oral breathing (1.0 +/- 0.3 arbitrary units; P less than 0.005). In addition, the onset of AN EMG activity preceded inspiratory flow by 0.38 +/- 0.03 s during nasal breathing but by only 0.17 +/- 0.04 s during oral breathing (P less than 0.04). When the subject changed from nasal to oral breathing, both these differences were apparent on the first breath. However, peak AN activity during nasal breathing was uninfluenced by inspiration of hot saturated air (greater than 40 degrees C), by external inspiratory nasal resistance, or by changes in the expiratory route. The genioglossus activity did not differ between nasal and oral breathing (n = 2). Our findings do not support reflex control of AN activity sensitive to nasal flow, temperature, or surface pressure. We propose a centrally controlled feedforward modulation of phasic inspiratory AN activity linked with the tonic drive to the muscles determining upper airway breathing route.

Relationship between alae nasi activation and breathing route during exercise in humans

1991 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 118-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Wheatley ◽  
T. C. Amis ◽  
L. A. Engel
Keyword(s):  
Upper Airway ◽  
Normal Subjects ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Reflex Modulation ◽  
Flow Through ◽  
Nasal Flow ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Exercise In Humans

We studied the relationship between alae nasi muscle (AN) activation and breathing route in normal subjects during exercise. Nasal and oral airflow were measured simultaneously using a partitioned face mask and were recorded with the AN electromyogram. Subjects breathed via 1) the nose and mouth (NM) 2) the nose only (N), or 3) the mouth only (M). As ventilation (VE) rose progressively, the peak phasic inspiratory AN activity (IAAN) increased for all breathing routes. IAAN during N [11.8 +/- 2.0 arbitrary units (AU)] was greater than during NM (3.3 +/- 1.3 AU) and M (2.4 +/- 1.0 AU; P less than 0.01) measured at the highest common VE (over a 10-l/min range). At the highest 20% of IAAN recorded during NM, the total VE during N (24 +/- 5 l/min). However, for the same IAAN, nasal VE during NM (27 +/- 3 l/min) was similar to that during N. Thus, as ventilation increases during exercise, AN activity and nasal ventilation are tightly correlated, independently of flow through the mouth. This suggests either reflex modulation of AN activity by nasal flow or coordination of AN activation with the flow-partitioning mechanism of the upper airway.

Mechanisms of control of alae nasi muscle activity

1992 ◽  
Vol 72 (3) ◽  
pp. 925-933 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. S. Mezzanotte ◽  
D. J. Tangel ◽  
D. P. White
Keyword(s):  
Upper Airway ◽  
Intraluminal Pressure ◽  
Emg Activity ◽  
Nasal Airway ◽  
Nasal Breathing ◽  
Oral Breathing ◽  
Load Response ◽  
Combined Anesthesia ◽  
Normal Men ◽  
Pressure Changes

Human upper airway dilator muscles are clearly influenced by chemical stimuli such as hypoxia and hypercapnia. Whether in humans there are upper airway receptors capable of modifying the activity of such muscles is unclear. We studied alae nasi electromyography (EMG) in normal men in an attempt to determine 1) whether increasing negative intraluminal pressure influences the activity of the alae nasi muscle, 2) whether nasal airway feedback mechanisms modify the activity of this muscle, and 3) if so, whether these receptor mechanisms are responding to mucosal temperature/pressure changes or to airway deformation. Alae nasi EMG was recorded in 10 normal men under the following conditions: 1) nasal breathing (all potential nasal receptors exposed), 2) oral breathing (nasal receptors not exposed), 3) nasal breathing with splints (airway deformation prevented), and 4) nasal breathing after nasal anesthesia (mucosal receptors anesthetized). In addition, in a separate group, the combined effects of anesthesia and nasal splints were assessed. Under each condition, EMG activity was monitored during basal breathing, progressive hypercapnia, and inspiratory resistive loading. Under all four conditions, both load and hypercapnia produced a significant increase in alae nasi EMG, with hypercapnia producing a similar increment in EMG regardless of nasal receptor exposure. On the other hand, loading produced greater increments in EMG during nasal than during oral breathing, with combined anesthesia plus splinting producing a load response similar to that observed during oral respiration. These observations suggest that nasal airway receptors have little effect on the alae nasi response to hypercapnia but appear to mediate the alae nasi response to loading or negative airway pressure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Oronasal partitioning of ventilation during exercise in humans

1991 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 546-551 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Wheatley ◽  
T. C. Amis ◽  
L. A. Engel
Keyword(s):  
Upper Airway ◽  
Normal Subjects ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Inspiratory Flow ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Total Flow ◽  
Progressive Exercise ◽  
Expiratory Flow ◽  
Exercise In Humans

The partitioning of oronasal breathing was studied in five normal subjects during progressive exercise. Subjects performed three to five identical runs, each consisting of four 1-min work periods at increments of 50 W. Nasal and oral airflow were measured simultaneously using a partitioned face mask both during and for 4 min after exercise. Total mean flows were the sum of nasal and oral flows. At a total mean inspiratory flow of 2 l/s, the nasal fraction of total flow was 0.36 +/- 0.04 (SE) and decreased by 6 +/- 3% between total flows of 1.5 and 2.5 l/s. Throughout exercise, the nasal fraction of total mean inspiratory flow did not differ from that of total expiratory flow and was similar to that of total mean inspiratory flow during the postexercise period at a corresponding total mean flow (both P greater than 0.02). The results show that oronasal flow partitioning is not directly due to the exercise itself but is related to the level of ventilation and is uninfluenced by the direction of upper airway flow (i.e., inspiratory vs. expiratory). These findings suggest tightly controlled modulation of the relative resistances of the oral and/or nasal pathways.

Control of respiratory activity of the genioglossus muscle in micrognathic infants

1986 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
pp. 1523-1533 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Roberts ◽  
W. R. Reed ◽  
O. P. Mathew ◽  
B. T. Thach
Keyword(s):  
Upper Airway ◽  
Esophageal Pressure ◽  
Progressive Increase ◽  
Emg Activity ◽  
Nasal Breathing ◽  
Airway Patency ◽  
Tongue Muscle ◽  
Airway Occlusion ◽  
Pharyngeal Airway ◽  
Obstructive Sleep

The genioglossus (GG) muscle activity of four infants with micrognathia and obstructive sleep apnea was recorded to assess the role of this tongue muscle in upper airway maintenance. Respiratory air flow, esophageal pressure, and intramuscular GG electromyograms (EMG) were recorded during wakefulness and sleep. Both tonic and phasic inspiratory GG-EMG activity was recorded in each of the infants. On occasion, no phasic GG activity could be recorded; these silent periods were unassociated with respiratory embarrassment. GG activity increased during sigh breaths. GG activity also increased when the infants spontaneously changed from oral to nasal breathing and, in two infants, with neck flexion associated with complete upper airway obstruction, suggesting that GG-EMG activity is influenced by sudden changes in upper airway resistance. During sleep, the GG-EMG activity significantly increased with 5% CO2 breathing (P less than or equal to 0.001). With nasal airway occlusion during sleep, the GG-EMG activity increased with the first occluded breath and progressively increased during the subsequent occluded breaths, indicating mechanoreceptor and suggesting chemoreceptor modulation. During nasal occlusion trials, there was a progressive increase in phasic inspiratory activity of the GG-EMG that was greater than that of the diaphragm activity (as reflected by esophageal pressure excursions). When pharyngeal airway closure occurred during a nasal occlusion trial, the negative pressure at which the pharyngeal airway closed (upper airway closing pressure) correlated with the GG-EMG activity at the time of closure, suggesting that the GG muscle contributes to maintaining pharyngeal airway patency in the micrognathic infant.

Pharyngeal resistance in normal humans: influence of gender, age, and obesity

1985 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 365-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. P. White ◽  
R. M. Lombard ◽  
R. J. Cadieux ◽  
C. W. Zwillich
Keyword(s):  
Obstructive Sleep Apnea ◽  
Sleep Apnea ◽  
Normal Population ◽  
Upper Airway ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Nasal Breathing ◽  
Normal Range ◽  
Anatomy And Physiology ◽  
Obstructive Sleep ◽  
Normal Humans

Investigation into the etiology of obstructive sleep apnea is beginning to focus increasing attention on upper airway anatomy and physiology (patency and resistance). Before conclusions concerning upper airway resistance in these patients can be made, the normal range of supraglottic and, more specifically, pharyngeal resistance needs to be better defined. We measured supraglottic and pharyngeal resistances during nasal breathing in a normal population of 35 men and women. Our technique measured epiglottic pressure with a balloon-tipped catheter, choanal pressure using anterior rhinometry, and flow with a sealed face mask and pneumotachograph. Resistance was measured at a flow rate of 300 ml/s during inspiration. Men had a mean pharyngeal resistance (choanae to epiglottis) of 4.6 +/- 0.8 (SE) cmH2O X l-1 X s, whereas women demonstrated a significantly (P less than 0.01) lower value, 2.3 +/- 0.3 cmH2O X l-1 X s. Supraglottic resistance was also higher in men (P = 0.01). Age (r = 0.73, P less than 0.01) correlated closely with pharyngeal resistance in men, but no such correlations could be found in women. These results may have implications in the epidemiology of obstructive sleep apnea.

Control of segmental upper airway resistance in patients with obstructive sleep apnea

1993 ◽  
Vol 74 (6) ◽  
pp. 2694-2703 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Wasicko ◽  
J. S. Erlichman ◽  
J. C. Leiter
Keyword(s):  
Obstructive Sleep Apnea ◽  
Sleep Apnea ◽  
Upper Airway ◽  
Normal Subjects ◽  
Emg Activity ◽  
Electromyographic Activity ◽  
Resistive Load ◽  
Airway Collapse ◽  
Upper Airway Collapse ◽  
Obstructive Sleep

We sought to determine if the upper airway response to an added inspiratory resistive load (IRL) during wakefulness could be used to predict the site of upper airway collapse in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In 10 awake patients with OSA, we investigated the relationship between resistance in three segments of the upper airway (nasal, nasopharyngeal, and oropharyngeal) and three muscles known to influence these segments (alae nasi, tensor veli palatini, and genioglossus) while the patient breathed with or without a small IRL (2 cmH2O.l–1.s). During IRL, patients with OSA exhibited increased nasopharyngeal resistance and no significant increase in either the genioglossus or tensor veli palatini activities. Neither nasal resistance nor alae nasi EMG activity was affected by IRL. We contrasted this to the response of five normal subjects, in whom we found no change in the resistance of either segment of the airway and no change in the genioglossus EMG but a significant activation of the tensor palatini. In six patients with OSA, we used the waking data to predict the site of upper airway collapse during sleep and we had limited success. The most successful index (correct in 4 of 6 patients) incorporated the greatest relative change in segmental resistance during IRL at the lowest electromyographic activity. We conclude, in patients with OSA, IRL narrows the more collapsible segment of the upper airway, in part due to inadequate activation of upper airway muscles. However, it is difficult to predict the site of upper airway collapse based on the waking measurements where upper airway muscle activity masks the passive airway characteristics.

Breathing route dependence of upper airway muscle activity during hyperpnea

1998 ◽  
Vol 84 (5) ◽  
pp. 1701-1706 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong-Xin Shi ◽  
Margaret Seto-Poon ◽  
John R. Wheatley
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Upper Airway ◽  
Normal Subjects ◽  
Bicycle Ergometer ◽  
Emg Activity

Exercise (Ex) and hypercapnia (HC) both lead to increases in ventilation and upper airway muscle (UAM) activity. To determine whether different breathing routes (nasal vs. oral) or stimuli produced differential UAM activation, electromyographic (EMG) activity of the alae nasi (AN) and genioglossus (GG) were measured in seven normal subjects seated on a bicycle ergometer. Subjects performed paired runs during both progressive Ex and HC while breathing through the nose alone (N) or the mouth alone (O). During hyperpnea, AN EMG was greater when the subjects were breathing via N [81 ± 6% maximum (HC) and 69 ± 7% maximum (Ex)] than when they were breathing via O [30 ± 5% maximum (HC) and 27 ± 5% maximum (Ex); both P < 0.01], whereas the GG EMG did not differ between N and O. Both AN and GG EMG were similar for Ex and HC when the subjects were breathing via the same route. We conclude that UAM activation was independent of the nature of the stimulus. However, the AN muscle but not the GG muscle demonstrated breathing-route dependence of activity.

Dependence of pharyngeal resistance on genioglossal EMG activity, nasal resistance, and airflow

1992 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 584-590 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. Leiter ◽  
S. L. Knuth ◽  
D. Bartlett
Keyword(s):  
Upper Airway ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Head Position ◽  
Emg Activity ◽  
Nasal Resistance ◽  
Pharyngeal Airway ◽  
Nasal Pressure ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Normal Men ◽  
Pressure Catheter

We investigated the quantitative relationships among pharyngeal resistance (Rph), genioglossal electromyographic (EMGge) activity, nasal resistance (Rna), and airflow in 11 normal men aged 19–50 while they were awake. We made measurements with subjects seated with the head erect, seated with the head flexed forward approximately 40 degrees, and supine. Each subject wore a face mask connected to a pneumotachograph to measure airflow. After topical anesthesia of the nose, two catheters for measuring nasal and pharyngeal airway pressures were passed through one nostril: the nasal pressure catheter was positioned at the nasal choanae, and the pharyngeal pressure catheter was positioned just above the epiglottis. We measured EMGge activity with an intraoral surface electrode. The subjects breathed exclusively through the nose while inhaling room air or rebreathing CO2. We measured Rph, Rna, airflow, and EMGge activity at approximately 90-ms intervals throughout each inspiration. Rph was invariant as head position was changed. At any given head position, EMGge activity rose as airflow increased, and Rph remained constant. In contrast, Rna increased as airflow increased. Because Rph was constant, EMGge activity was not correlated with Rph, but EMGge was positively correlated with Rna and airflow. On the basis of the stability of Rph in the face of marked changes in collapsing forces, we conclude that the dynamic interplay of posture, head and jaw position, and upper airway muscle activity quite effectively maintains pharyngeal patency, and interactions among these factors are subtle and complex.

Dyspnea following Experimentally Induced Increased Nasal Airway Resistance

1996 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 231-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald W. Warren ◽  
Robert Mayo ◽  
David J. Zajac ◽  
A. H. Rochet
Keyword(s):  
Airway Resistance ◽  
Upper Airway ◽  
Breathing Rate ◽  
Nasal Airway ◽  
Nasal Resistance ◽  
Nasal Breathing ◽  
Oral Breathing ◽  
A Value ◽  
Normal Breathing ◽  
Study Support

Nasal resistance (NRZ) values for healthy adults range from 1.0 to 3.5 cm H2O/L/sec. Some oral breathing tends to occur at values above 3.5. The purpose of the present study was to determine at what level of NRZ individuals sense that nasal breathing is difficult. A diaphragm was used to add four different resistance loads in random to 15 adult subjects. These loads were 5, 8, and 15 cm H2O/L/sec and a value 40% above the individual's normal NRZ. Loads were added under four conditions: normal breathing, fixed flow rate, fixed breathing rate, and fixed flow and breathing rate. The pressure-flow technique was used to measure NRZ under all conditions. The study revealed that the sensation of breathing difficulty occurred at a median resistance of 5 cm H2O/L/sec and, as subjects were constrained to maintain fixed flow and breathing rates, the magnitude of RZ, at which the sensation of dyspnea was noted, decreased. The values observed in this study support previous findings suggesting that individuals switch to some oral breathing to maintain an adequate level of upper airway resistance at values between 3.5 and 4.5 cm H2/L/sec. The findings also show that individuals attempt to minimize increases in airway resistance by modifying breathing behaviors.

Influence of nasal airflow and resistance on nasal dilator muscle activities during exercise

1993 ◽  
Vol 74 (5) ◽  
pp. 2529-2536 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. C. Connel ◽  
R. F. Fregosi
Keyword(s):  
Airway Resistance ◽  
Minute Ventilation ◽  
Nasal Airway ◽  
Nasal Airflow ◽  
Nasal Breathing ◽  
Airway Patency ◽  
Dilator Muscle ◽  
The Face ◽  
Flow Turbulence ◽  
Nasal Flow

Our purpose was to assess the separate effects of nasal airflow and resistance on the activity of the nasal dilator [alae nasi (AN)] muscles. Nasal airflow and the AN electromyogram were recorded at rest and during progressive-intensity exercise at 60, 120, and 150–180 W in 10 healthy subjects who breathed nasally under all conditions. The activity of the AN muscles increased linearly as a function of the increase in nasal minute ventilation evoked by progressive-intensity exercise (r = 0.99, P < 0.002). Reciprocal changes in nasal airflow and resistance were produced by surreptitious substitution of 12–15 breaths of 79% He-21% O2 for air at rest and during exercise. The switch to He-O2 decreased airway resistance (anterior rhinomanometry) by approximately 30% at rest and 40–60% during exercise. He-O2 did not change nasal flow or AN activities significantly under resting conditions. In contrast, He-O2 increased nasal flow and decreased the AN electromyogram by 25–50% during exercise (P < 0.05). The results suggest that AN muscle activities during nasal breathing are regulated by mechanisms that track airway resistance or the level of flow turbulence. The increase in AN activities during exercise probably helps ensure nasal airway patency in the face of the considerable collapsing pressures that prevail under these conditions.

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