Mechanisms preserving breathing stability

Symposium — Wednesday, April 26, 2024 — 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM — , Room W190B
Respiration Section — Chair: Jyoti Watters — Co-Chair: Kendra Braegelmann

A remarkable feature of the respiratory control system is its stability. Throughout life, neural networks underlying breathing must necessarily generate a precise, yet dynamic motor output that achieves efficient gas exchange and responds to physiological challenges, despite a myriad of physiological and pathophysiological changes that challenge system stability. To date, little is known regarding mechanisms that ensure respiratory control system stability. In this symposium, we will explore the role for respiratory rhythm variability and activity-dependent respiratory plasticity in maintaining respiratory motor output stability, and discuss mechanisms that maintain respiratory motor output stability during the coordination of breathing with other motor behaviors. We will also explore how early life insults during particularly vulnerable periods of development can disrupt breathing stability.   We have assembled a panel of speakers making headway into understanding these complex and interesting mechanisms. Dr. Frank Jacono will discuss mechanisms underlying and analyses of respiratory rhythm variability. Dr. Tracy Baker will discuss mechanisms of compensatory plasticity that maintain respiratory motor output, even in the face of disrupted neural inputs. Dr. Emily Plowman will discuss the coordination of breathing and swallowing. Finally, Dr. MacFarlane will discuss mechanisms of central apnea in neonates.             The panel of speakers constitutes mid-career (Baker, Plowman and Jacono) and junior (MacFarlane) faculty with good representation of different universities and experimental approaches. Drs Jacono and Plowman also bring a clinical perspective to this topic. Two female and two male speakers have been included in this symposium           proposal. We propose a short introduction to the session followed by four 25-30 minute presentations (including the question period).  

Speakers

• Coordination of breathing and swallowing 
  Emily Plowman — Speech, Language and hearing sciences, University of Florida


• Fatal instabilities in cardio-respiratory control during a critical period of development
  Peter MacFarlane — Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University


• Ventilatory Pattern Variability Following Acute Lung Injury: Insights into Central Mechanisms
  Frank Jacono — Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University


• Inactivity-induced phrenic motor facilitation stabilizes breathing in rats
  Tracy Baker — Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison