The oculorespiratory cardiac reflex in the dog.

Intraorbital and intracranial electrical stimulation as compared with manual eye pressure indicates that in the dog the afferent pathway for the oculorespiratory cardiac reflex is carried by the ophthalmic division of the fifth cranial nerve. The effects on cardiac and respiratory arrythmia produced by using intravenous atropine have demonstrated that, although reflex bradycardia can be abolished, respiratory arrest is more profound and lasts for a significantly longer period of time.