Sudden Death in Infant Primates from Induced Laryngeal Occlusion

Thirteen infant and juvenile monkeys and baboons were studied in procedures designed to assess the functional characteristics of the upper airway, with special attention to the consequences of laryngeal nerve stimulation. In young animals, stimulation of the recurrent laryngeal nerve produced closure of the airway in sufficient degree and duration to cause death. Older juvenile monkeys were resistant to fatal laryngospasm induced by nerve stimulation. A variety of patterns of general autonomic response accompanied the airway changes. These results are consistent with (1) a laryngospasm hypothesis to account for certain terminal events in sudden infant death syndrome, and (2) prior observations of age-related general autonomic stability.