Question

Explain the mechanism of voluntary control of respiration.

Answer 1

Ans:

Respiration is a reflex process. It can be controlled by voluntory short period of a about 40 seconds. The two regulatory mechanisms are

• Nervous mechanism
• Chemical mechanism.

Neural control of mechanism

• Voluntory control of respiration
• Automatic control of respiration
• Reflex control of respiration

Voluntory control of respiration

• Respiration is a reflex or automatic control basically but it can be controlled by voluntory control also most of the respiratory muscles are voluntory control. Respiration can be changed both rate and depth in a particular period.For example forcefull breathing, breath holding,hypoventilation, hyperventilation.

Voluntory control respiratory center is MOTOR CORTEX. In this center sends the impulses via corticospinal track to the respiratory muscles.

Phrenic nerve( C3,C4,C5)- which supplies the external intercostal muscle for inspiration

Ventral horn cells(T1,T2)- will stimulate the respiratory muscles.

In conditions like bulbar poliomyelitis ,brainstem tumors, that time automatic control is affected, voluntory control is present.