Serotonin and the control of ventilation in awake rats

In awake, unrestrained, intact rats, reserpine, para-chlorophenylalanine, 6-fluorotryptophan, and para-chloroamphetamine depleted whole brain serotonin and produced a substantial and sustained hyperventilation as evidenced by a 5-9 torr drop in Pa(CO₂). Administration of 5-hydroxytryptophan to rats treated with para-chlorophenylalanine partially alleviated the hyperventilation. No change in ventilation was observed after alpha-methyltyrosine. 5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine produced contradictory results. On the basis of these pharmacological studies, we propose that some serotonin-mediated nerve transmissions might function under physiological conditions to inhibit the central nervous system output which controls normal breathing.