Opioid Action on Respiratory Neuron Activity of the Isolated Respiratory Network in Newborn Rats

Background: Underlying mechanisms behind opioid-induced respiratory depression are not fully understood. The authors investigated changes in burst rate, intraburst firing frequency, membrane properties, as well as presynaptic and postsynaptic events of respiratory neurons in the isolated brainstem after administration of opioid receptor agonists.

Methods: Newborn rat brainstem-spinal cord preparations were used and superfused with [mu]-, [kappa]-, and [delta]-opioid receptor agonists. Whole cell recordings were performed from three major classes of respiratory neurons (inspiratory, preinspiratory, and expiratory).

Results: Mu- and [kappa]-opioid receptor agonists reduced the spontaneous burst activity of inspiratory neurons and the C4 nerve activity. Forty-two percent of the inspiratory neurons were hyperpolarized and decreased in membrane resistance during opioid-induced respiratory depression. Furthermore, under synaptic block by tetrodotoxin perfusion, similar changes of inspiratory neuronal membrane properties occurred after application of [mu]- and [kappa]-opioid receptor agonists. In contrast, resting membrane potential and membrane resistance of preinspiratory and majority of expiratory neurons were unchanged by opioid receptor agonists, even during tetrodotoxin perfusion. Simultaneous recordings of inspiratory and preinspiratory neuronal activities confirmed the selective inhibition of inspiratory neurons caused by [mu]- and [kappa]-opioid receptor agonists. Application of opioids reduced the slope of rising of excitatory postsynaptic potentials evoked by contralateral medulla stimulation, resulting in a prolongation of the latency of successive first action potential responses.