GOOD VIBRATIONS - RESPIRATORY RHYTHMS IN THE CENTRAL CONTROL OF BLOOD-PRESSURE

1. Arterial blood pressure is maintained, and reflexly controlled, by the activity of neurons in the medulla and spinal cord. 2. Rhythmic, a utomatic, respiratory activity is generated by neurons in the ventral medulla and transmitted to premotoneurons and motoneurons in the medul la and spinal cord. 3. Sympathetic nerve activity often has a respirat ory rhythmicity. 4. One site at which the interaction between respirat ory and sympathetic neurons occurs is the ventrolateral medulla. 5. Di fferent types of sympathetic neurons, such as muscle vasoconstrictor, sudomotor and pile-erector, have different patterns of respiratory rhy thmicity. 6. Inputs from medullary respiratory neurons to medullary sy mpathetic premotor neurons may be the mechanism that co-ordinates the activity of these two vital systems.