Distinct modulation of tracheal and laryngopharyngeal cough via superior laryngeal nerve in cat.

Abstract Unilateral and bilateral cooling and bilateral transsection of the superior laryngeal nerve (SLN) were employed to modulate mechanically induced tracheobronchial (TB) and laryngopharyngeal (LPh) cough in 12 anesthetized cats. There was little effect of SLN block or cut on TB. Bilateral SLN cooling reduced the number of LPh ( Our results show that reduced afferent drive in the SLN markedly attenuates LPh with virtually no effect on TB.