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Updated: Apr 25, 2026

Electrophysiology on Isolated Brainstem-spinal Cord Preparations from Newborn Rodents Allows Neural Respiratory Network Output Recording
Published on: November 19, 2015
Sleep and respiratory physiology in adults
Mudiaga Sowho1, Jason Amatoury2, Jason P Kirkness1
1Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, 5501 Hopkins Bayview Circle, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
Abstract:
Respiration during sleep is determined by metabolic demand; respiratory drive is determined by a central respiratory generator. Changes in pharyngeal dilator muscle tone resulting in increased upper airway resistance and collapsibility contribute to hypoventilation. Relative hypotonia of respiratory muscles, body posture changes, and altered ventilatory control result in additional physiologic changes contributing to hypoventilation. This article reviews mechanisms of central control of respiration and normal upper and lower airway physiology. Understanding sleep-related changes in respiratory physiology will help in developing new therapies to prevent hypoventilation in susceptible populations.
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