Neurobiology of the Control of Breathing

Descriere

A multidisciplinary synthesis of current concepts and experimental findings, this volume examines the complex neural mechanisms involved in the control of breathing. With contributions by leading experts in the neurosciences and in a wide range of clinical disciplines, the book provides significant new insights into the physiology of respiratory control and the pathophysiology of various breathing disorders, particularly apneic episodes occurring during sleep and during the perinatal period. The contributors thoroughly describe the blood chemical and nonchemical ventilatory drive mechanisms in the adult and in the fetus and neonate. Fully examined are the causes of breathing instability in various states of wakefulness and sleep and the mechanisms responsible for adjustment of respiratory control during transitions from slow-wave sleep to REM sleep. Several studies focus on respiratory control both before and after birth, exploring the problems involved in adaptation to the extrauterine environment. The physiologic and developmental causes of irregular breathing in neonates are discussed in detail, as are the responses of the respiratory muscle to hypercapnea in preterm infants. Close attention is given to the role of substance P and GABA as mediators of the respiratory drive, as well as to the influence of endorphins, adenosine, and prostaglandins on neonatal breathing. A major highlight of the book is its comprehensive analysis of the neural mechanisms controlling respiratory rhythm. Several chapters describe the membrane properties involved in respiratory rhythm generation and explore the possible role of peptides and other neuroactive substances in respiratory rhythmogenesis. The book also features in-depth coverage of the integration of respiratory and cardiovascular control and the localization of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators in networks controlling respiratory and cardiovascular functions.