Interactions of mechanically induced coughing and sneezing in cat

•First study investigating mutual interactions of mechanically induced cough and sneeze reflexes.•Limited effect of mechanosensitive nasal afferents on the tracheobronchial cough response.•Co-expression of coughing and sneezing may represent improved airway defense.

Mutual interactions of cough and sneeze were studied in 12 spontaneously breathing pentobarbitone anesthetized cats. Reflexes were induced by mechanical stimulation of the tracheobronchial and nasal airways, respectively. The amplitude of the styloglossus muscle EMG moving average during the sneeze expulsion was 16-fold higher than that during cough (p < 0.01). Larger inspiratory efforts occurred during coughing (p < 0.01) vs. those in sneeze.The number of reflexes during simultaneous mechanical stimulation of the nasal and tracheal airways was not altered significantly compared to controls (p > 0.05) and there was no modulation in temporal characteristics of the behaviors. When both reflexes occurred during simultaneous stimuli the responses were classified as either sneeze or cough (no hybrid responses occurred). During simultaneous stimulation of both airway sites, peak diaphragm EMG and inspiratory esophageal pressures during sneezes were significantly increased. The expiratory maxima of esophageal pressure and amplitudes of abdominal EMGs were increased in coughs and sneezes during simultaneous mechanical stimulation trials compared to control reflexes.