CONTROL OF RESPIRATION

Control of respiration

• Respiration is controlled by areas of the brain

that stimulate the contraction of the diaphragm
and the intercostal muscles.

• These areas, collectively called

RESPIRATORY CENTERS
 Respiratory center
• Clustered neurons in the brain, located bilaterally in the
reticular formation of the brain stem and from which nerve
impulses are sent to respiratory muscles.
 Respiratory center
• Medullary Respiratory Centers
• Inspiratory area-DRG= dorsal respiratory group
• Expiratory area-VRG - ventral respiratory group

• Pons Respiratory centers

• Pontine respiratory group – (Pneumotaxic area)
Respiratory center
MEDULLARY RESPIRATORY CENTERS
Dorsal Respiratory Group
Inspiratory area
Dorsal respiratory group

• INSPIRATORY CENTER
– When fired they generates
rhythmic nerve impulses that
travel along the phrenic nerve to
diaphragm and intercostal nerves
to excite external intercostal
muscles
– As a result, these muscles will
contract and the thorax expand,
– Volume increase
– Pressure decrease
– Air pushes into lungs
Dorsal respiratory group

• DRG then becomes dormant,

and expiration occurs
passively as the inspiratory
muscle relax and the lungs
recoil.

• This cyclic activity of the

inspiratory neurons repeats and
produce respiratory rate of 12
– 15 breaths per minute
Respiratory center
MEDULLARY RESPIRATORY CENTERS
Ventral Respiratory Group
Expiratory area
 Ventral respiratory group

• VRG contain mix of neurons

– Inspiratory
– Expiratory (mainly)

• Inactive during normal

respiration
 Pontine respiratory group
• A collection of neurons in the
reticular formation within the
pons

• Transmit inhibitory impulses

to the inspiratory centers in
medulla

•
Factors influencing the respiratory center of the
brain
• Pulmonary irritant reflexes
– Receptors in the lung that respond to irritants
Activation of irritant receptors

Send signals to respiratory centers through vagal nerve

Modify respiratory rate and depth

Factors influencing the respiratory center of the
brain
• The inflation reflexes
– Stretch Receptors (baroreceptors) in visceral
pleurae that stimulated when lung are inflated
Activation of stretch receptors

Send inhibitory signals to medullary respiratory

centers through vagus nerve

End inspiration and allow expiration

Factors influencing the respiratory center of the
brain
• Influence of higher brain centers
– Hypothalamic controls
Activation of sympathetic centers in hypothalamus

Send signals to respiratory centers

Modify respiratory rate and depth

Factors influencing the respiratory center of the
brain
• Influence of higher brain centers
– Cortical controls - voluntary controls
Cerebral motor cortex

Send signals to motor neurons

Stimulate respiratory muscles

(Bypassing the medullary center)
Factors influencing the respiratory center of the
brain
• Chemical factors:
– Oxygen (O2)
– Carbon dioxide (CO2)
– Hydrogen ion (H+)

– Sensed by CHEMORECEPTORS
Factors influencing the respiratory center of the
brain
CHEMORECEPTORS

– Central chemoreceptors
• Located in bilaterally in medulla
• Sensitive to the pH ECF

– Peripheral chemoreceptors
• Located in great vessels of neck
• sensitive to PO2, PCO2 and pH
 Influence of PCO2 and H+

• Most potent and

most closely
controlled

• Sensed by central
chemoreceptors
Influence of PCO2 and H+
 Influence of PO2

• Cells sensitive to arterial

PO2 are found in:
Peripheral
chemoreceptors:

– Aortic bodies
• In arch of aorta
– Carotid bodies
• In common carotid artery
 Influence of PO2

• Under normal condition the

decline in arterial PO2 has a
slight effect on ventilation.

• Arterial PO2 must decrease

to less than 60 mm Hg
before O2 level become
major stimulus for increased
ventilation.
 Influence of arterial pH

• changes in arterial pH can

modify respiratory rate
and depth even when CO2
and O2 are normal

• Act on peripheral
chemoreceptors.