Lecture 18 - Control of breathing Flashcards
What elements are involved in the control of breathing?
For the control of breathing we have three basic elements, the central controller, the sensors, and the effectors.
What is the central controller made up of?
The central controller is made up of the pons, medulla, and other parts of the brain.
What do the central controllers do in the control of breathing?
Its role is to set the pattern/rhythm of breathing by coordinating sensors and effectors to maintain respiratory homeostasis
What do the sensors in the control of breathing consist of?
Our sensors are comprised of chemoreceptors, lung and other receptors
What do the sensors in the control of breathing do?
receive a variety of neural and chemical inputs from central and peripheral receptors and relays information to the central controller
Where are the effectors of the control of breathing located?
In respiratory muscles
What are the role of effectors in the control of breathing?
Adjust ventilation
What does the Apneustic centre do?
The apneustic centre fine tunes the inspiratory region going out of DRG.
fail safe, can come in and reinforce signal for breathing
Where is the important centre in terms of controlling respiratory system located?
In the medulla
What are our respiratory rhythmicity centres?
Dorsal respiratory group (DRG)
Ventral respiratory group (VRG)
Pre-Bötzinger complex
What is the role of the DRG?
The DRG is our inspiratory centre. The DRG send inspiratory signals to the diaphragm and to external intercostal muscles (only to external intercostal muscles during forced breathing).
What is the role of the VRG?
During quiet breathing the VRG does not send any signals , but during excercise and other events that require heavier breathing, the VRG sends signals to our accessory inspiratory and expiratory muscles.
What is the role of the Pre-Bötzinger
complex?
The Pre-Botzinger complex which acts as our respiratory rhythm generator (similar to pacemaker cells in heart). The Pre-Botzinger complex initiates signals and sends it to DRG to induce inspiration.
Relating to the control of breathing, what is found in the pons?
In the pons we have the apneustic and pneumotaxic centres (together call pontine respiratory group - PRG)
What is the role of the pneumotaxic centre?
The pneumotaxic centre is located above the apneustic centre and it sends inhibitory signals to it. Fine tube how much signal has to go from DRG to VRG.
What is the role of chemoreceptors?
Respond to a change in the chemical composition of blood or other fluid surrounding it
What chemicals in the respiratory system do the chemoreceptors respond to?
CO2, O2, H+ and HCO3-
What are our two types of chemoreceptors in the respiratory system?
- Central chemoreceptors
- Peripheral chemoreceptors
What does CO2 and H+ mainly act on?
Respiratory system
What receptor does O2 mainly act on? (O2 levels)
O2 acts mainly through peripheral chemoreceptor
What are the central chemoreceptors?
Specialized cells that are sensitive to the PCO2 but not PO2 of blood in the arteries
- Associated with VRG