Neuroscience of respiration and sleep

Effects of Short-Term Breathwork on Respiration and Cognition

This study examines how brief structured breathing practices affect respiration and cognitive performance, finding transient improvements in reaction times but no differences in task accuracy.

Dual cholinergic and serotonergic excitatory pathways mediate oxygen sensing in the zebrafish gill

This study identifies two independent oxygen-sensing pathways in zebrafish gills involving acetylcholine and serotonin, suggesting homology to mammalian pulmonary and carotid body chemoreceptors.

An inspiration-off attractor supports the robust and flexible control of breathing

The paper identifies an inspiration-off attractor mechanism that enables robust and flexible breathing control through GABAergic and glutamatergic signaling interactions in the VRC.

Molecular deconstruction of the pre-Bötzinger Complex/Nucleus Ambiguus (preBötC/NA) region: cellular constituencies and transcriptional responses to repeated seizures in the rat hindbrain

This study identifies 18 cell types in the preBötC/NA region of rats after repeated seizures, showing increased neuroinflammation and metabolic pathway activation in neurons and glia.

Melanocortin system activates carotid body arterial chemoreceptors in hypertension

The paper identifies the melanocortin system's role in heightened carotid body chemosensitivity in hypertension, showing MC4R activation influences sympathetic and ventilatory responses.

Developmental changes in the carotid body transcriptome accompanying the maturation of chemosensitivity

This study identifies gene expression changes in the carotid body transcriptome across developmental stages in sheep, correlating with the maturation of oxygen chemosensitivity.

Characterisation of putative retrotrapezoid nucleus (RTN) chemoreceptor neurons in the adult human brainstem

This study maps the adult human retrotrapezoid nucleus (hRTN) using immunohistochemistry and compares it to rodent and primate homologies.

A cholinergic spinal pathway for the adaptive control of breathing

This study identifies a spinal cholinergic pathway that enhances breathing by amplifying phrenic motor neuron output during hypercapnia.

A sustained Hox program delineates brainstem neurons essential for breathing

The paper identifies Hox5's role in organizing and specializing brainstem neurons critical for breathing, showing its necessity for respiratory function and survival.

Dual Mechanisms for Heterogeneous Responses of Inspiratory Neurons to Noradrenergic Modulation

The paper models how norepinephrine modulates preBotzinger complex neurons through two mechanisms, revealing parameter regimes where silent neurons remain inactive and explaining differential burst frequency and duration effects.

Functional Modulation of Retrotrapezoid Neurons Drives Fentanyl-Induced Respiratory Depression

This study shows that activating RTN Phox2b+/Nmb+ neurons can counteract fentanyl-induced respiratory depression.

Asymmetric neuromodulation in the respiratory network contributes to rhythm and pattern generation

The paper investigates how asymmetric neuromodulation in the respiratory network influences rhythm and pattern generation through computational modeling and electrophysiological experiments.

Chemogenetic stimulation of phrenic motor output and diaphragm activity

This study shows that targeting DREADD expression to phrenic motoneurons increases diaphragm activity and tidal volume in mice and rats.

CO2-sensitive Cx26 hemichannels in dorsal raphe-ventral tegmental area pathway mediate hypercapnic arousal

This study identifies Cx26 hemichannels as a CO2 sensor in serotonergic neurons that mediates hypercapnic arousal by enabling serotonin release.

Chemosensitive brainstem and diencephalic components in breath-hold fMRI

This paper develops an fMRI analysis pipeline to study central chemoreception in humans by comparing breath-hold and free breathing conditions, identifying brainstem and diencephalic regions involved in CO2 responses.

Daily Acute Intermittent Hypoxia Elicits Age & Sex-Dependent Changes in Molecules Regulating Phrenic Motor Plasticity

This study investigates how daily acute intermittent hypoxia (dAIH), age, and sex affect molecules regulating phrenic motor plasticity in rats, finding age- and sex-dependent changes in gene expression related to signaling pathways involved in respiratory motor facilitation.

Oxygen chemoreceptor inhibition by dopamine D2 receptors in isolated zebrafish gills

This study shows dopamine D2 receptors in zebrafish gill chemoreceptors reduce hypoxic responses through adenylyl cyclase, linking dopamine modulation to oxygen sensing evolution.

A comprehensive characterization of active expiration in freely behaving rats

This study examines the effects of active expiration (AE) on ventilation and metabolism in freely behaving rats during hypoxia and hypercapnia, finding that AE increases tidal volume and oxygen consumption but does not improve air convection.

Opposing control of the respiratory brainstem on multiple timescales achieved by transmitter co-release from the locus coeruleus

The paper shows that locus coeruleus neurons use both noradrenergic and glutamatergic signaling to exert opposing effects on breathing control in the Kolliker-Fuse nucleus across different timescales.

A brainstem map of orofacial rhythms

The paper maps brainstem neural activity related to breathing, licking, and swallowing in mice, revealing coordinated rhythms and a premotor network involved in orofacial movements.

ADENYLATE CYCLASE 3 MEDIATES CAROTID BODY ACTIVATION AND AUTONOMIC DYSFUNCTION IN A SLEEP APNEA MODEL

This study identifies Adcy3-dependent cAMP as a downstream signaling pathway mediating carotid body activation and autonomic dysfunction in a sleep apnea model.

Episodic slow breathing in mice markedly reduces fear responses

This study shows that slow breathing in mice reduces stress-related behaviors, suggesting a direct neural mechanism rather than top-down control.

Epigenetic upregulation of carotid body angiotensin signaling increases blood pressure

This study shows perinatal nicotine exposure increases DNA methylation in the angiotensin II type 1 receptor gene in carotid bodies, enhancing angiotensin signaling and leading to hypertension.

Microglia regulate motor neuron plasticity via reciprocal fractalkine/adenosine signaling

This study shows microglia regulate respiratory neuroplasticity through fractalkine/adenosine signaling, with distinct roles in moderate and severe hypoxia-induced plasticity.

Breathing modulates network activity in frontal brain regions during anxiety

This study investigates how breathing affects neural activity in the prefrontal cortex during anxiety in rats, finding that faster breathing correlates with increased anxiety and modulates gamma oscillations.

Vglut2-based glutamatergic signaling in central noradrenergic neurons is dispensable for normal breathing and chemosensory reflexes

This study shows that Vglut2-based glutamatergic signaling in central noradrenergic neurons is not required for normal breathing or chemosensory reflexes in mice.

Hypoxia evokes a sequence of raphe-pontomedullary network operations for inspiratory drive amplification and gasping

The paper investigates how hypoxia triggers gasping through neural network reconfiguration in the brainstem, showing disinhibition and coordinated activity in respiratory circuits.

Mapping responses to focal injections of bicuculline in the lateral parafacial region identifies core regions for maximal generation of active expiration

This study uses bicuculline injections in the lateral parafacial region to identify rostral locations as core for active expiration generation.

Sensing, Feeling, and Regulating: Investigating the Association of Focal Brain Damage with Voluntary Respiratory and Motor Control

This study examines how focal brain damage affects voluntary respiratory and motor control, finding impaired regulation and increased anxiety in specific brain regions.

Known pathogenic gene variants and new candidates detected in Sudden Unexpected Infant Death using Whole Genome Sequencing

This study identifies known pathogenic variants and new candidates in SUID using WGS, highlighting genetic factors related to heart disease and redox metabolism.