Question

Compare the neural control of the respiratory muscles (which control breathing), with that of cardiac muscle (which controls pumping of the heart).

Answer 1

Respiratory muscles

They are a group of muscles which controls inspiration and expiration. The muscles helps in the control of respiratory functions. They includes, diaphragm muscles, intercostal muscles, and lessely by the abdominal muscles.These muscles helps in respiration by changing the pressure, within the lung cavity.During the inspiration process,the intercostal muscles will helps to elevate the rib cage, as a result the diameter of thoracic cavity will increse.Contraction of the diaphragm muscles also increses the chest cavity diameter. Hence together all these muscles, works to increase the anterio-posterior diameter and promotes more air entry to lungs. Usually the abdominal muscles and other muscles like trapezium muscles, accessory muscles will function during the expiratory process.The muscles such as diaphragm, intercostal muscles, sternocleido mastoid muscles will help in inspiration process. So in the control of respiration process, many muscles are involved. Not a single muscle.Among all these muscles, diaphragm plays a major role by helping in lung expansion.

All these, muscles which helps in controlling the respiration is attached to the ribs of an individual and some of them are located near by to the rib cage.The major characteristics of these muscles are that, they can function both voluntarily and involuntarily.

Extreme fatigue of the respiratory muscles, may alter the individuals capacity to take breath and it may alter the respiratory function. Myastenia gravis, GB syndrome etc are some of the common neurological disorder which may affect the respiratory muscles.

Cardiac Muscles

Those muscles, which helps in the pumping action of heart. The major pecularity of cardiac muscle is that they are involuntary. They are located only on the entire walls of the human heart and no where else. Another major cahracteristics of these muscles include, the most powerful muscles helps to pump blood through out the entire body, Their cells are centrally nucleated and they are branched in nature.The cardiac muscles, always work together in a coordinated manner. They contract and relax in a smooth manner.The cardiac muscles are fatigue free and they function efficiently to pump the blood throughout the body.The cardiac muscles can control the speed of their work by the signals send by the brain.

There are certain diseases, affecting the cardiac muscles such as cardiomyopathy, cardiac failure etc where these muscles fails to work effectively, leading to decrease blood pumbing and associated clinical symptoms.