大耳白兔动脉血和脑脊液酸碱电解质值及其相互关系

３０只正常大耳白兔,经股动脉穿刺插管和枕骨下经皮穿刺入枕骨下池,在严格隔绝空气情况下,分别取得动脉血和脑脊液（ＣＳＦ）标本,用ＡＢＬ３型血气分析仪及ＣＮ６４４型生化分析仪检测主要酸碱变量及电解质值。经统计学处理结果表明：ＣＳＦｐＨｅｙ ｋ＾＋、Ｃａ＾２＋、Ｍｇ＾２＋浓度〈动脉血,ＣＳＦＰＣＯ２及ＨＣＯ３＾－、Ｃｌ＾－Ｎａ＾＿、Ｈ＾＋〉动脉血。另外,ＣＳＦＰＨ与ｐＨａ,ＣＳＦＰＣＯ２与ＰａＣＯ２、Ｃ     

低氧条件下大脑皮层微血管平滑肌细胞内皮细胞中[Ca~(2 )]_i变化的研究

目的和方法：本研究采用离子探针Ｆｕｒａ２／ＡＭ 结合计算机图象分析技术,并通过施加ＮＯ合酶抑制剂ＬＮＮＡ和ＮＯ的作用靶———鸟苷酸环化酶（ＧＣ）的抑制剂美兰（Ｍｅｔｈｙｌｅｎｅ Ｂｌｕｅ;ＭＢ）,观察经培养的大鼠大脑皮层微血管内皮细胞和平滑肌细胞中的［Ｃａ２＋］ｉ 在低氧作用后的变化以及与有关血管舒张因子ＮＯ和ｃＧＭＰ之间的关系。结果：低氧时大脑微血管内皮细胞和平滑肌细胞内的Ｃａ２＋ 浓度有所下降,变化幅度的大小与低氧的程度及低氧作用的时间有关,且可以被ＬＮＮＡ和ＭＢ所抑制。结论：低氧时大脑微血管的舒张反应与ＮＯ的产生有关,ＮＯ通过细胞内的多种机制,最终使得胞内Ｃａ２＋ 下降而导致血管舒张     

低氧条件下大脑皮层微血管平滑肌细胞内皮细胞中[Ca^2]i变？…

目的和方法 本研究采用离子探针Ｆｕｒａ－２／ＡＭ结合计算机图象分析技术,并通过施加ＮＯ合酶抑制剂Ｌ－ＮＮＡ和ＮＯ的作用靶－－鸟苷酸环化酶（ＧＣ）的抑制剂美兰（Ｍｅｔｈｙｌｅｎｅ Ｂｌｕｅ;ＭＢ）,观察经培养的大鼠大脑皮层微血管内皮细胞和平滑肌细胞中的〖Ｃａ＾２＋〗ｉ在低氧作用后的变化以及与有关血管舒张因子ＮＯ和ｃＧＭＰ之间的关系。结果 低氧时大脑微血管内皮细胞和平滑肌细胞内的Ｃａ＾２＋浓度有下降,     

慢性高山病低氧通气反应降低与肺功能缺损

对１４例慢性高山病（ＣＭＳ）患者的低氧肺泡通气不足的发病机理和肺功能作了研究。与对照组比较,ＣＭＳ组的ＰＥＴＣＯ２高,ＶＴ低,低氧通气反应（ＨＶＲ）Ａ值低;吸入高浓度Ｏ２后,ＣＭＳ已降低的ＨＶＲ。ＣＭＳ的ＦＥＶ１／ＶＣ比值降低并加重动脉低氧血症。结果表明：周围性ＨＶＲ降低和中枢性低氧通气抑制是引起高原低氧肺泡通气不足的因素。而肺泡通气不足与阻塞性肺疾病是导致ＣＭＳ发生的主要原因。     

急性低氧对大鼠血粘度,红细胞变形能力和左心室功能的影响

健康ＳＤ雄性大鼠,体重２５０—３００ｇ,麻醉、气管插管,用人工呼吸机经气袋供气,自发吸入氧浓度为９％的氧氮混合气,用ＳＭＵＰ－ＰＣ生物信号处理系统处理左心室功能。结果：（１）急性低氧经动脉血气分析可见ＰａＯ２下降（Ｐ＜０．０１）,ｐＨ值升高（Ｐ＜０．０５）,ＰａＣＯ２稍下降（Ｐ＞０．０５）,左心室功能各指标如ＬＶＰ,ＨＲ,Ｖｍｐ,±ｄｐ／ｄｔｍａｘ,Ｖｃｅ４０,Ｖｍａｘ,Ｌ０、等均下降;血液流变学指标如全血粘度（高、低切值及其还原值）升高,红细胞滤过指数（ＩＦ）升高;复氧后上述各指标恢复正常。（２）静脉注射心得安（０．５ｍｇ／Ｋｇ）后,使急性低氧诱发的左心室功能各指标更加明显下降,而血液流变学各值不再明显上升;静脉注射酚妥拉明（３ｍｇ／Ｋｇ）后,使急性低氧诱发的血液流变学各值上升不明显。（３）石炭酸破坏双侧颈动脉窦区后也可致低氧诱发的左心室功能各指标进一步下降,而血液流变学指标也不再明显上升。结果提示：急性低氧可引起左心室功能下降和全血粘度升高,红细胞变形能力降低,复氧后可恢复;交感神经活动及颈动脉窦区化学感受性反射可能对抗低氧诱发的左心室功能的下降,促进血粘度的升高。     

促肾上腺皮质激素释放因子介导低氧应激抑制淋巴细胞转化的实验研究

本实验以模拟高原低氧方法观察大鼠淋巴细胞对丝裂原（ＣｏｎＡ）的反应性及促肾上腺皮质激素释放因子（ＣＲＦ）介导急性低氧的免疫调节作用。实验结果表明：急性低氧可抑制大鼠外周血淋巴细胞转化,高原土著动物高原鼠兔（Ｏｃｈｏｔｏｎａｃｕｒｚｏｎｉａｅ）则不表现这种低氧抑制作用;肾上腺完整和肾上腺摘除大鼠第三脑室给予外源性ＣＲＦ１μｇ,表现出与低氧作用类似的淋巴细胞转化下降现象;低氧时第三脑室给予高效价ＣＲＦ抗血清可部分阻断低氧抑制作用。放射免疫分析法检测外周血浆中ＣＲＦ和皮质酮水平显示急性低氧大鼠血浆ＣＲＦ、皮质酮水平均升高,高原鼠兔无明显变化。因而,本研究提示：急性低氧可抑制淋巴细胞转化,ＣＲＦ是介导急性低氧抑制淋巴细胞转化的一种因子,而与肾上腺皮质激素的变化可能无关,高原鼠兔免疫功能对低氧不敏感。     

低氧大鼠肺动脉内皮细胞VEGF变化与PKC活性关系的探讨

目的：探讨低氧培养大鼠肺动脉血管内皮细胞ＶＥＧＦ的表达变化与ＰＫＣ活性的关系。方法：培养大鼠肺动脉血管内皮细胞,观察低氧（１％Ｏ２）培养不同时间大鼠肺动脉血管内皮细胞浆、膜ＰＫＣ活性和培养液中ＶＥＧＦ水平变化;加入ＰＫＣ抑制剂（ｓｔａｕｒｏｓｐｏｒｉｎｅ）后,测定低氧、常氧培养不同时间二者的变化。结果：低氧时膜ＰＫＣ活性和培养液中ＶＥＧＦ水平明显升高（Ｐ＜０．０１）。而加入ＰＫＣ抑制剂后,常氧和低     

β－内啡肽对低氧引起的促肾上腺皮质激素释放因子分泌的影响

本文研究了模拟高原低氧条件下内源性阿片肽β－内啡肽（βｅｎｄｏｒｐｈｉｎ,βＥＰ）对大鼠和高原土著动物高原鼠兔（Ｏｃｈｏｔｏｎａｃｕｒｚｏｎｉａｅ）促肾上腺皮质激素释放因子（ｃｏｒｔｉｃｏｔｒｏｐｉｎｒｅｌｅａｓｉｎｇｆａｃｔｏｒ,ＣＲＦ）分泌的影响。７０００ｍ低氧２ｈ,正中隆起（ｍｅｄｉａｎｅｍｉｎｅｎｃｅ,ＭＥ）和下丘脑（Ｈｙｐｏｔｈａｌａｍｕｓ,Ｈｙ）ＣＲＦ含量水平降低。脑室注射βＥＰ后,海拔７０００ｍ低氧暴露２ｈ,大鼠和高原鼠兔ＭＥ处的ＣＲＦ含量升高,大鼠Ｈｙ的ＣＲＦ含量也升高,而高原鼠兔下丘脑ＣＲＦ含量下降。βＥＰ的作用被纳洛酮反转。上述结果提示,βＥＰ有抑制由低氧引起的大鼠ＣＲＦ分泌的作用。     

高原鼠兔氧比传导特征的实验研究

本实验采用国外新近提出的一项能综合评价机体气体交换系统中各氧降阶差时运氧能力的适应水平高低的重要指标──氧比传导（ＭＯ２－ＳＣ）,研究了高原鼠兔气体交换系统运氧能力的低氧适应特征及规律。结果表明,对照条件下,在吸入气（Ｉ）至肺泡气（Ａ）（Ｉ→Ａ）、Ａ至动脉血（ａ）（Ａ→ａ）、ａ至混合静脉血（ｖ）（ａ→ｖ）及Ｉ→ｖ各阶差中,以Ａ→ａ的ＭＯ２－ＳＣ运氧能力最大。低氧１５ｍｍ后,Ｉ→Ａ及ａ→ｖ的ＭＯ２－ＳＣ均显著升高,并以Ｉ→Ａ增加最为显著,该水平运氧能力是对照的２倍,增长１２０．９％;而Ａ→ａ及Ｉ→ｖＭＯ２－ＳＣ变化无显著性差异。低氧３０ｍｉｎ时,Ｉ→Ａ的ＭＯ２－ＳＣ继续显著增长,运氧能力是对照的２．７倍,增长１７０．７％,其余３个氧降阶差的ＭＯ２－ＳＣ无显著性改变。以上结果表明,高原鼠兔低氧代偿贮备较大,尤以肺泡气至动脉血阶差最为重要,而通气氧传导能力的增强也是高原鼠兔低氧适应的主要原因。     

低O2高CO2性肺动脉高压大鼠血浆内皮素和肺细小动脉超微？…

为探讨低Ｏ２高ＣＯ２性肺动脉高压形成的机制,对血浆内皮素（ＥＴ）和肺细小动脉超微结构改变进行研究。应用低Ｏ２高ＣＯ２性肺动脉高压大鼠模型,观察了不同ＥＴ浓度时肺细小动脉超微结构改变。实验组①ＥＴ浓度明显升高,②肺细小动脉内皮细胞（ＥＣ）水肿,内质网扩张,内皮下水肿明显,内膜增厚;③肺细小动脉中膜平滑肌细胞（ＳＭＣ）竖立,微丝束增多,ＳＭＣ数目增多,细胞面积增大;④外膜纤维母细胞（ＦＩＢ）增生,胶原     

Effects of moderate hypoxemia and hypocapnia on CSF [H+] and ventilation in man.

The effects of 26 h of normoxic hypocapnia (PaCO2, 31 MMHg) vs. 26 h of hypocapnia plus hypobaric hypoxia (PaCO2 32, PaO2 57 mmHg) were compared with respect to: a) CSF acid-base status; and b) the spontaneous ventilation (at PIO2 145 mmHg) which followed the imposed (voluntary) hyperventilation. For each condition of prolonged hypocapnia, PaCO2 was held constant throughout and pHa and [HCO3-]a were constant over the final 6-10 h. We assumed that measured changes in lumbar CSF acid-base status paralleled those in cisternal CSF. Spontaneous hyperventilation followed both normoxic and hypoxic hypocapnia but was significantly greater following hypoxic hypocapnia. In the CSF, pH compensation after 26 h of hyperventilation was incomplete (similar to 45-50%), was similar to that in arterial blood, and was unaffected by a superimposed hypoxemia. These data were inconsistent with current theory which proposes the regulation of CSF [HCO2] via local mechanisms and, in turn, the mediation of ventilatory acclimatization to hypoxemia and/or hypocapnia via CSF [H+]. Alternative mediators of ventilatory acclimatization were postulated, including mechanisms both dependent on and independent of "chemoreceptor" stimuli.     

Cerebral oxygen availability by NIR spectroscopy during transient hypoxia in humans

The effects of mild hypoxia on brain oxyhemoglobin, cytochrome a,a3 redox status, and cerebral blood volume were studied using near-infrared spectroscopy in eight healthy volunteers. Incremental hypoxia reaching 70% arterial O2 saturation was produced in normocapnia [end-tidal PCO2 (PETCO2) 36.9 +/- 2.6 to 34.9 +/- 3.4 Torr] or hypocapnia (PETCO2 32.8 +/- 0.6 to 23.7 +/- 0.6 Torr) by an 8-min rebreathing technique and regulation of inspired CO2. Normocapnic hypoxia was characterized by progressive reductions in arterial PO2 (PaO2, 89.1 +/- 3.5 to 34.1 +/- 0.1 Torr) with stable PETCO2, arterial PCO2 (PaCO2), and arterial pH and resulted in increases in heart rate (35%) systolic blood pressure (14%), and minute ventilation (5-fold). Hypocapnic hypoxia resulted in progressively decreasing PaO2 (100.2 +/- 3.6 to 28.9 +/- 0.1 Torr), with progressive reduction in PaCO2 (39.0 +/- 1.6 to 27.3 +/- 1.9 Torr), and an increase in arterial pH (7.41 +/- 0.02 to 7.53 +/- 0.03), heart rate (61%), and ventilation (3-fold). In the brain, hypoxia resulted in a steady decline of cerebral oxyhemoglobin content and a decrease in oxidized cytochrome a,a3. Significantly greater loss of oxidized cytochrome a,a3 occurred for a given decrease in oxyhemoglobin during hypocapnic hypoxia relative to normocapnic hypoxia. Total blood volume response during hypoxia also was significantly attenuated by hypocapnia, because the increase in volume was only half that of normocapnic subjects. We conclude that cytochrome a,a3 oxidation level in vivo decreases at mild levels of hypoxia. PaCO is an important determinant of brain oxygenation, because it modulates ventilatory, cardiovascular, and cerebral O2 delivery responses to hypoxia.     

低氧适应对家兔脑血流调节的影响

本实验用电磁血流量法观察了低氧适应对家兔脑血流(CBF)调节的影响。结果表明,高CO_2和低O_2高CO_2时,适应组CBF改变不明显,对照组CBF明显增加(p<0.01)。两组脑脊液pH(pH_(CSF))均明显降低(p<0.05和p<0.01)。对照组低O_2高CO_2时的CBF比单独高CO_2增加更多。低CO_2、低O_2低CO_2及低O_2时,CBF和pH_(CSF)均接近于安静值。以低pH值脑脊液(CSF)脑内灌注,对照组CBF趋于增加,适应组不增加。将CO_2饱和的人工CSF用于局部脑表面,适应组脑膜微血管无明显扩张,对照组明显扩张(p<0.01)。该结果提示,低氧适应家兔脑血管和CBF对脑细胞外液H~ 和/或对低O_2的反应降低。     

Incomplete compensation of CSF [H+] in man during acclimatization to high altitude (48300 M).

This study has assessed the regulation of arterial blood and cerebrospinal fluid acid-base status in seven healthy men, at 250 m altitude and after 5 and 10-11 days sojourn at 4,300 m altitude (PaO2 = 39 mmHg day 1 to 48 mmHg day 11). We assumed that observed changes in lumbar spinal fluid acid-base status paralleled those in cisternal CSF, under these relatively steady-state conditions. Ventilatory acclimatization during the sojourn (-14 mmHg PaCO2 at day 11) was accompanied by: 1) reductions in [HCO3-] (-5 to -7 meq/1) which were similar in arterial blood and CSF; 2) substantial, yet incomplete, compensation (70-75%) of both CSF and blood pH; and 3) a level of CSF pH which was maintained significantly alkaline (+0.05 +/- 0.01) to normoxic control values. These data at 4,300 m confirmed and extended our previous findings for more moderate conditions of chronic hypoxia. It was postulated that the magnitude and time course of pH compensation in the CSF during chronic hypoxia and/or hypocapnia are determined by corresponding changes in plasma [HCO2-].     

Hypoxic exposure and activation of the afterdischarge mechanism in conscious humans

After voluntary hyperventilation, normal humans do not develop a significant ventilatory depression despite low arterial CO2 tension, a phenomenon attributed to activation of a brain stem mechanism referred to as the "afterdischarge." Afterdischarge is one of the factors that promote ventilatory stability. It is not known whether physiological stimuli, such as hypoxia, are able to activate the afterdischarge in humans. To test this, breath-by-breath ventilation (VI) was measured in nine young adults during and immediately after a brief period (35-51 s) of acute hypoxia (end-tidal O2 tension 55 Torr). Hypoxia was terminated by switching to 100% O2 (end-tidal O2 tension of first posthypoxic breath greater than 100 Torr). Brief hypoxia increased VI and decreased end-tidal CO2 tension. In all subjects, termination of hypoxia was followed by a gradual ventilatory decay; hyperoxic VI remained higher than the normoxic baseline for several breaths and, despite the negative chemical stimulus of hyperoxia and hypocapnia, reached a new steady state without an apparent undershoot. We conclude that brief hypoxia is able to activate the afterdischarge mechanism in conscious humans. This contrasts sharply with the ventilatory undershoot that follows relief of sustained hypoxia, thereby suggesting that sustained hypoxia inactivates the afterdischarge mechanism. The present findings are of relevance to the pathogenesis of periodic breathing in a hypoxic environment. Furthermore, brief exposure to hypoxia might be useful for evaluation of the role of afterdischarge in other disorders associated with unstable breathing.     

Temporal pattern of arterial CO2 partial pressure during exercise in humans

The major objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that arterial CO2 partial pressure (PaCO2) does not change in transitions from rest to steady-state exercise and between two levels of exercise. Nine young adults exercised on a treadmill or a bicycle (sit or supine) for 5 min at a mild work load (heart rate = 90 beats X min-1) and then 3 min at a moderate work load (heart rate = 150 beats X min-1). In some studies the moderate work load preceded the mild work load. Arterial blood was sampled from a catheterized artery. During all exercise tasks isocapnia was not strictly maintained (F greater than 4.0, P less than 0.001). For example, a 1-to 2-Torr hypocapnia was the dominant trend during the first 15-45 s after increasing treadmill speed, and a transient hypercapnia was most prevalent when treadmill speed was decreased. During steady-state exercise PaCO2 did not deviate by more than 1-3 Torr from PaCO2 during any resting posture, and PaCO2 differences between exercise intensities and conditions did not exceed 1-2 Torr. A mouthpiece-breathing valve system was not used in most studies, but when this system was used, it did not consistently affect exercise PaCO2. Increasing inspired O2 to 40% likewise did not consistently alter exercise PaCO2. Failure to maintain isocapnia throughout exercise indicates that the matching of alveolar ventilation (VA) to lung CO2 delivery is not exquisitely precise. Accordingly it is inappropriate to base theories of the exercise hyperpnea on the heretofore contention of precise matching.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Diuretic effect of hypoxia, hypocapnia, and hyperpnea in humans: relation to hormones and O(2) chemosensitivity.

We studied the contributions of hypoxemia, hypocapnia, and hyperpnea to the acute hypoxic diuretic response (HDR) in humans and evaluated the role of peripheral O(2) chemosensitivity and renal hormones in HDR. Thirteen healthy male subjects (age 19-38 yr) were examined after sodium equilibration (intake: 120 mmol/day) during 90 min of normoxia (NO), poikilocapnic hypoxia (PH), and isocapnic hypoxia (IH) (days 1-3, random order, double blind), as well as normoxic voluntary hyperpnea (HP; day 4), matching ventilation during IH. O(2) saturation during PH and IH was kept equal to a mean level measured between 30 and 90 min of breathing 12% O(2) in a pretest. Urine flow during PH and IH (1.81 +/- 0.92 and 1.94 +/- 1.03 ml/min, respectively) but not during HP (1.64 +/- 0.96 ml/min) significantly exceeded that during NO (control, 1.38 +/- 0.71 ml/min). Urine flow increases vs. each test day's baseline were significant with PH, IH, and HP. Differences in glomerular filtration rate, fractional sodium clearance, urodilatin, systemic blood pressure, or leg venous compliance were excluded as factors of HDR. However, slight increases in plasma and urinary endothelin-1 and epinephrine with PH and IH could play a role. In conclusion, the early HDR in humans is mainly due to hypoxia and hypocapnia. It occurs without natriuresis and is unrelated to O(2) chemosensitivity (hypoxic ventilatory response).     

Separate effects of low carbon dioxide and low oxygen content on rat brain monoamine metabolism during hypoxemia

Awake, adult male rats (some with chronically indwelling femoral artery catheters) were exposed for up to 7 days to one of three environments: a) normoxia (PIO2 = 155 Torr), b) hypoxic hypocapnia (PIO2 = 90 Torr), and c) hypoxic normocapnia (PIO2 = 73 Torr, PICO2 = 32 Torr), and arterial blood gas and acid-base status were documented. After 1 hour to 7 days, rats were sacrificed, and the time courses of the brain levels and turnovers of norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine or 5HT) were determined in each condition. The transient decrease in monoamine levels seen on exposure to acute hypoxia was absent if normocapnia was maintained; 7 days hypoxia with or without hypocapnia resulted in increased monoamine levels. Normocapnia also prevented an immediate, sustained decrease in 5HT turnover and a delayed decrease in DA turnover which were observed in hypoxic hypocapnia. A delayed increase in 5HT turnover appeared to be due to hypoxia independent of PaCO2. Therefore, the initial, transient loss of mental acuity and some ventilatory adaptations observed during prolonged hypoxia may be a result of the decrease in PaCO2 rather than the decreased oxygen concentration.     

Cerebral hypoperfusion during hypoxic exercise following two different hypoxic exposures: independence from changes in dynamic autoregulation and reactivity

We examined the effects of exposure to 10-12 days intermittent hypercapnia [IHC: 5:5-min hypercapnia (inspired fraction of CO(2) 0.05)-to-normoxia for 90 min (n = 10)], intermittent hypoxia [IH: 5:5-min hypoxia-to-normoxia for 90 min (n = 11)] or 12 days of continuous hypoxia [CH: 1,560 m (n = 7)], or both IH followed by CH on cardiorespiratory and cerebrovascular function during steady-state cycling exercise with and without hypoxia (inspired fraction of oxygen, 0.14). Cerebrovascular reactivity to CO(2) was also monitored. During all procedures, ventilation, end-tidal gases, blood pressure, muscle and cerebral oxygenation (near-infrared spectroscopy), and middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity (MCAv) were measured continuously. Dynamic cerebral autoregulation (CA) was assessed using transfer-function analysis. Hypoxic exercise resulted in increases in ventilation, hypocapnia, heart rate, and cardiac output when compared with normoxic exercise (P < 0.05); these responses were unchanged following IHC but were elevated following the IH and CH exposure (P < 0.05) with no between-intervention differences. Following IH and/or CH exposure, the greater hypocapnia during hypoxic exercise provoked a decrease in MCAv (P < 0.05 vs. preexposure) that was related to lowered cerebral oxygenation (r = 0.54; P < 0.05). Following any intervention, during hypoxic exercise, the apparent impairment in CA, reflected in lowered low-frequency phase between MCAv and BP, and MCAv-CO(2) reactivity, were unaltered. Conversely, during hypoxic exercise following both IH and/or CH, there was less of a decrease in muscle oxygenation (P < 0.05 vs. preexposure). Thus IH or CH induces some adaptation at the muscle level and lowers MCAv and cerebral oxygenation during hypoxic exercise, potentially mediated by the greater hypocapnia, rather than a compromise in CA or MCAv reactivity.     

Hypoxic and hypercapnic drives to breathe generate equivalent levels of air hunger in humans.

Anecdotal observations suggest that hypoxia does not elicit dyspnea. An opposing view is that any stimulus to medullary respiratory centers generates dyspnea via "corollary discharge" to higher centers; absence of dyspnea during low inspired Po(2) may result from increased ventilation and hypocapnia. We hypothesized that, with fixed ventilation, hypoxia and hypercapnia generate equal dyspnea when matched by ventilatory drive. Steady-state levels of hypoxic normocapnia (end-tidal Po(2) = 60-40 Torr) and hypercapnic hyperoxia (end-tidal Pco(2) = 40-50 Torr) were induced in naive subjects when they were free breathing and during fixed mechanical ventilation. In a separate experiment, normocapnic hypoxia and normoxic hypercapnia, "matched" by ventilation in free-breathing trials, were presented to experienced subjects breathing with constrained rate and tidal volume. "Air hunger" was rated every 30 s on a visual analog scale. Air hunger-Pet(O(2)) curves rose sharply at Pet(O(2)) <50 Torr. Air hunger was not different between matched stimuli (P > 0.05). Hypercapnia had unpleasant nonrespiratory effects but was otherwise perceptually indistinguishable from hypoxia. We conclude that hypoxia and hypercapnia have equal potency for air hunger when matched by ventilatory drive. Air hunger may, therefore, arise via brain stem respiratory drive.