Pulmonary Surface Activity Alterations Associated with Pulmonary Edema Following Preoptic Hypothalamic Lesions in Rats 1

Abstract

Summary

Neurogenic pulmonary edema occurring in a group of rats 1.5 to 4 hr following bilateral preoptic lesions in the hypothalamus was associated with alterations in pulmonary surface activity. A group of animals with similar operations but in whom pulmonary edema did not develop had pulmonary surface activity which did not differ from that in a group of unoperated control animals. A fourth group of animals with pulmonary edema induced by the intravenous injection of epinephrine also had pulmonary surface activity similar to control animals. This study suggests that the pulmonary edema developing following preoptic lesions may be caused by a decrease in pulmonary surface activity possibly mediated by the vagus nerves.