The effects of electrical and chemical activation of the rostral ventrolateral medulla(rVLM)onrespiratory-related facial nerve activity were investigated in decerebrated,paralyzed,vagotomized andventilated cats.The animal was maintained at normocapnia and hypercapnia in hyperoxia.Phrenic andfacial nerve activities were simultaneously recorded.Excitation of the rVLM either by electricalcurrent(12.5 to 50 μA,80 Hz and 0.5 ms pulse duration)or glutamate microinjection(50 mM,20 to 200nl)inhibited both phrenic and facial nerve discharges.Although inhibition of the rVLM upon bothnerves was attenuated by hypercapnia,this inhibition remained significant during hypercapnia.Theseresults suggest that the rVLM may be involved in the modulation of upper airway patency by controllingrespiratory-related facial nerve activity.