Abstract
The generation and control of breathing patterns are governed by a multitude of complex neuronal interactions. In its most basic form, the breathing pattern of mammals is produced in the rhythmic breathing centres in the medulla of the brainstem. A permanent fine-tuning by the respiratory centres in the pons is responsible for the final output to the respiratory muscles. In addition, peripheral arterial chemoreceptors – the carotid and aortic bodies – and central respiratory chemoreceptors are crucial for the maintenance of cardiorespiratory homeostasis. Inputs from these receptors ensure adaptive changes in the respiratory and cardiovascular motor outputs under various environmental and physiological conditions.
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Brouns, I., Pintelon, I., Timmermans, JP., Adriaensen, D. (2012). Sensory Nerve Terminals in Intrapulmonary Airways and Lungs. In: Novel Insights in the Neurochemistry and Function of Pulmonary Sensory Receptors. Advances in Anatomy, Embryology and Cell Biology, vol 211. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-22772-1_1
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