Respiration is controlled by these areas of the brain that stimulate the contraction of the diaphragm and the intercostal muscles. These areas, collectively called respiratory centers, are summarized here:

The control of ventilation is the physiological mechanisms involved in the control of breathing, which is the movement of air into and out of the lungs. Ventilation facilitates respiration.

Dec 5, 2025 · An important characteristic of the human respiratory system is its ability to adjust breathing patterns to changes in both the internal milieu and the external environment.

The respiratory rate is controlled by the respiratory center located within the medulla oblongata in the brain, which responds primarily to changes in carbon dioxide, oxygen, and pH levels in the blood.

Oct 7, 2025 · Voluntary respiration is under conscious control. It is controlled via the motor cortex in the cerebrum, which receives inputs from the limbic system and hypothalamus.

Breathing is usually automatic, controlled subconsciously by the respiratory center at the base of the brain. Breathing continues during sleep and usually even when a person is unconscious.

The overall respiration control system thus consists of a network of neurons in cortex and medulla/pons that exert voluntary control and automatic control, respectively.

position and body movement, etc. (see below). However it is usually considered to be the medulla and the pons that are the primary controllers of the rhythmic pace of breathing, the fine tuning, and the …

Mar 24, 2022 · Your breathing usually does not require any thought, because it is controlled by the autonomic nervous system, also called the involuntary nervous system. The parasympathetic system …

Involuntary respiration is controlled by the respiratory centers of the upper brainstem (sometimes termed the lower brain, along with the cerebellum).