Brain activation during volitional control of breathing

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Respiratory Neurobiology

Background:

• Volitional control of breathing is a complex cognitive function.
• Understanding the neural correlates of respiratory control is crucial for respiratory medicine.
• Previous research has explored autonomic breathing, but volitional control mechanisms are less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate brain activation patterns during volitional control of breathing using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
• To identify specific brain regions involved in consciously regulating respiratory frequency.
• To correlate breathing control with activation in cortical and subcortical areas.

Main Methods:

• Nine healthy human subjects participated in the study.
• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was employed to measure brain activity.
• Breathing was volitionally controlled and dictated by acoustic stimuli setting the respiratory frequency.

Main Results:

• Bilateral activation was observed in the frontal, temporal, and parietal lobes during dictated breathing.
• The frontal lobe showed consistent bilateral activation, particularly in Brodmann areas 4 and 6.
• The parietal lobe exhibited activation in the gyrus postcentralis, and the temporal lobe in area 22.

Conclusions:

• Volitional control of breathing engages widespread bilateral brain networks.
• Specific cortical areas, including motor cortex regions (Brodmann 4, 6) and somatosensory/auditory association areas, are implicated.
• fMRI is a valuable tool for elucidating the neural basis of respiratory control.