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Impaired cortical processing of inspiratory loads in children with chronic respiratory defects

Brigitte Fauroux1, Francis Renault, Pierre Yves Boelle

  • 1AP-HP, Hôpital Armand Trousseau, Pediatric Pulmonary Department, Paris, 75571 France. brigitte.fauroux@trs.aphp.fr

Respiratory Research
|September 8, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Children with chronic lung diseases like asthma or cystic fibrosis show impaired brain processing of breathing signals. This suggests a link between respiratory conditions and how the brain perceives respiratory changes.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Respiratory Medicine
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Respiratory-related evoked potentials (RREPs) reflect the brain's processing of respiratory mechanics.
  • Impaired RREPs in children with near-fatal asthma suggest a link between asthma severity and respiratory perception.
  • The impact of chronic respiratory defects on brain processing of inspiratory loads is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the presence, latencies, and amplitudes of RREP components (P1, N1, P2, N2) in children with chronic lung or neuromuscular diseases versus healthy controls.
  • To investigate if chronic respiratory conditions alter the brain's cortical processing of respiratory signals.

Main Methods:

  • Respiratory-related evoked potentials (RREPs) were recorded in children with stable asthma (n=21), cystic fibrosis (n=32), neuromuscular disease (n=16), and healthy controls (n=11).

Main Results:

  • All 4 RREP components were less frequently observed in the patient groups compared to controls.
  • N1 and P2 components were less frequent in asthma and cystic fibrosis patients than in neuromuscular disease patients.
  • When present, RREP component latencies and amplitudes did not differ between patients and controls.

Conclusions:

  • Chronic ventilatory defects in children are associated with impaired cortical processing of afferent respiratory signals.
  • This finding supports the hypothesis linking respiratory disease severity with altered perception of respiratory changes.
Abstract

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