7. Control of Ventilation Flashcards
What generic group of muscles need to be stimulated during ventilation?
skeletal muscles of inspiration
What nerves are involved in ventilation during the stimulation of skeletal muscles of inspiration? (2)
- phrenic nerves (to diaphragm)
2. intercostal nerves (to external intercostal muscles)
Where in the brain does ventilatory control reside?
- in ill defined centres located in PONS and MEDULLA (resp. centres)
- entirely dependent on brain signalling
Is the action in resp. centres in pons and medulla, conscious or subconscious?
normally subconscious but can be subject to voluntary modulation
Severing the spinal cord above which level can completely cease/stop breathing?
above origin of phrenic nerve (C3,4,5: keeps the the diaphragm alive)
What would happen if all nervous and hormonal supply to the heart was cut off?
heart can still survive because it only needs glucose and oxygen since it has its own rhythm
What would happen if all nervous innervation to intercostal muscles was lost?
patient would still be able to breathe but it would be very slowed down since only diaphragm would be used
What would happen if the diaphragm was injured?
the patient could no longer breathe on their own
What do respiratory centres (dorsal and ventral) do?
set an automatic breathing rhythm through co-ordinating the firing of smooth and repetitive burst of action potentials
Where are APs fired that travel to INSPIRATORY muscles?
In DRG
Where are APs fired that travel to EXPIRATORY muscles ( and some inspiratory), pharynx, larynx and tongue muscles?
In VRG (for smooth controlled expiration)
Why does VRG specifically send signals to larynx, pharynx and tongue on expiration?
to keep the airways open and set a breathing tone (keep them coordinated with each breath)
What 4 factors modulate the rhythms of respiratory centres?
- emotion (via limbic system)
- voluntary over-ride (via higher centres in brain)
- mechano- sensory input from the thorax (eg. stretch reflex)
- chemical composition of the blood (PCO2, PO2, pH detected by chemoreceptors)
What is meant by voluntary over-ride from cerebral cortex?
e.g. laughing, singing, speaking loudly, blowing up balloons, whispering etc (we can control these)
Why is mechano-sensory input from the thorax important?
- communicates with brain to create a recoil
- prevents over-inflation of the lungs
What 3 chemical factors determine respiratory rate? (changes in blood plasma content)
- PO2
- PCO2
- pH
Out of all 4 respiratory centre modulators, which one affects the VRG and DRG the most in the pons and medulla? ie affects respiratory rate the most
chemoreceptors input (most significant)
What are the 2 types of chemoreceptors found in the resp. centres?
- central
- peripheral
chemoreceptors
What is the central chemoreceptor?
medulla (primary ventilatory drive)
What are the peripheral chemoreceptors? (2)
carotid and aortic bodies ( secondary ventilatory drive)
What does medulla respond to directly?(central chemoreceptors)
respond directly to H+ (directly reflects PCO2)
What do carotid and aortic bodies respond to? (peripheral chemoreceptors)
respond primary to plasma H+ and PO2 (less so to PCO2)
Where do most H+ ions come from?
from CO2, not from the blood
Which drive responds to H+ changes due to CO2 levels?
Primary ventilator drive (medulla)
Which drive is more sensitive to O2 and H changes?
secondary ventilatory drive (carotid and aortic bodies)