The respiratory center (RC) is located in the medulla oblongata, which is the lowermost part of the brain stem. The RC receives controlling signals of neural, chemical and hormonal nature and controls the rate and depth of respiratory movements of the diaphragm and other respiratory muscles. Injury to this center may lead to central respiratory failure, which necessitates mechanical ventilation, but usually the prognosis is grave.
In healthy individuals the presence of elevated carbon dioxide levels in the blood is the stimulant that the RC responds to in order to signal the respiratory muscles to breathe. Chemoreceptors found in carotid and aortic bodies are responsible for detecting this CO2.
Individuals who suffer from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease usually have a chronically elevated level of carbon dioxide present in their blood due to their diminished lung function. As a result, their specific chemoreceptors become desensitised to the hypercapnia and instead respond to a decreased amount of oxygen present.
The groups of nerve cells in the brain which regulates the respiration rhythmically are collectively known as respiratory centers.
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Respiratory centre is divided four major groups:
Function:
a)It discharges stimulatory impulse to the inspiratory centre causing inspiration.
b)It receives inhibitory impulse from pneumotaxic centre and from stretch receptor of lung.
c)It discharges inhibitory impulse to expiratory centre.
Depression of a respiratory center can be a result of next reasons: