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1. Cerebral energy metabolism during apnoeic asphyxia and steady-state hypoxia was compared in ducks and chickens; ducks tolerate apnoeic asphyxia 3-8 times longer than chickens. 2. Fluctuations in the reduced form of respiratory chain nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) were monitored from the left cerebral hemisphere by a noninvasive fluorometric technique and used as an indicator of mitochondrial hypoxia. NADH fluorescence was expressed in aribtrary units (a.u.) where 100 a.u. was defined as the fluorescence change from normoxia to anoxia. Electroencephalogram (e.e.g.) and surface Po2 were recorded from the right hemisphere. 3. After 1 min of asphyxia NADH fluorescence increased by 37 a.u.+/-3.60 S.E. of mean (n=54) in paralysed chickens and 8 a.u.+/-1.41 (n=55) in aralysed ducks. After 2 min the fluorescence increased by only 15 a.u.+/-1.95 in ducks. 4. Both species showed an isoelectric e.e.g. when fluorescence increased by approximately 35 a.u., indicating that anaerobic ATP production in ducks did not maintain brain function (e.e.g.) for a greater accumulation of respiratory chain NADH. 5. At a given decrease in tissue Po2 ducks and chickens showed the same level of NADH increase, indicating that both species are equally dependent on tissue Po2 for the maintenance of redox state. 6. We conclude that biochemical adjustment which enhance anaerobic ATP production and/or prolong oxidative phosphorylation during progressive hypoxia are not responsible for increased cerebral tolerance to apnoeic asphyxia in the duck.

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