Psychosomatic Medicine 17:377-382 (1955)
© 1955 American Psychosomatic Society

Role of the Respiratory Mechanism

¹ Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, and the Neurological Institute of the Presbyterian Hospital, New York, N. Y.

Primarily, the neural basis of respiration serving the metabolic needs of the individual is integrated at brain stem level. Conscious and unconscious modification of these basic respiratory patterns occurs in more rostral areas. The medial and basal cortical and sub-cortical areas of the forebrain are capable of exerting profound influences on respiration. These regions are concerned with numerous other somatic and visceral activities associated with emotional behavior and generalized reactions such as awakening, sleep, alerting, and other alterations in states of awareness.