Suprapontine control of breathing

The current chapter focuses on the functional importance and neuro-anatomical basis of suprapontine control of breathing in humans, which complements the pharmacological and pathological perspectives covered in other sections of this book. For this purpose, suprapontine influences are divided into three broad categories: (1) volitional control; (2) involuntary influences associated with emotions and psychological dis-turbances, and (3) tonic drives including excitatory drives associated with wakefulness. Recent reviews in suprapontine respiratory control focus primarily on functional aspects [1-3], or primarily on the underlying neural substrate [4-6]. This chapter updates these reviews with particular regard to recent studies in humans. We focus more on the second category (involuntary influences), as this has never been reviewed extensively. We have also highlighted two key issues that continue to guide research in the field: (1) interaction between suprapontine-and brainstem-based mechanisms that influence respiratory pump activity, and (2) capacity for learning and adaptation in respiratory control.