ABSTRACT
Control of breathing involves the integration of peripheral and central chemoreceptor afferent signals by the respiratory control centers within the medulla and subsequent efferent signals to the respiratory muscles. Periodic breathing and central apnea are manifestations of a disorder in the respiratory control pathways. The unconscious drive to breathe is often taken for granted. Most parents put their children to sleep without giving it a second thought. Yet, the survival of their child depends on the complex interactions between sensory afferents, the central nervous system (CNS), and motor efferents to maintain the rhythmic chest movements during sleep. The act of breathing is a complex choreography involving the CNS, peripheral nervous system, and the respiratory muscles. While voluntary breathing is initiated from the cerebral cortex, the automatic breathing during sleep requires the body to first figure the need for a breath on the basis of input from peripheral and central chemoreceptors.
