Effect of ventilatory drive on the perceived magnitude of added loads to breathing

Using open-magnitude scaling we studied the importance of ventilatory drive on the perceived magnitude of respiratory loads by applying a range of externally added resistances (2.1–77.1 cmH2O X l-1 X s) to normal subjects at rest and at three increasing levels of ventilatory drive induced by exercise, CO2-stimulated breathing, and hypoxia. Under all conditions studied the perceived magnitude of the added loads increased with the magnitude of the resistive load and as the underlying level of ventilatory drive increased. When the results were expressed in terms of peak inspiratory pressure, the perceived magnitude was related to the magnitude of the peak inspiratory pressure by a power function (mean r = 0.97). These results suggest that the perceived magnitude of added resistive loads increased with increasing ventilatory drive, in such a manner that the increase in sensory magnitude is proportional to the increase in the inspiratory muscle force developed and suggests that something dependent on this force mediates the sensation.