Four Factors That Have an Effect on the Control of Breathing

The average adult inhales and exhales about 15 times each minute at rest. There are several factors that have an effect on the control of breathing including automatic breathing responses, oxygen requirements and air flow intensity. Changes or deficiencies in any of these factors can have an effect on breathing control.

Diaphragm

• The diaphragm is a major muscle that controls breathing. The diagrpham is the primary muscle for inhalation. The diaphragm separates the chest cavity from the abdomen and includes the muscles between the ribs or intercostal muscles, neck muscles and abdominal muscles. Diaphragm and intercostal contraction expands the lungs by moving the rib case and increasing the length and diameter of the chest cavity. Diaphram muscles contract only if the nerves that connect the diaphragm to the brain are in tact. For example, a person with a severed spinal cord dies unless he is artificially ventilated, because of the diaphram's inability to control breathing.

Abdominal Muscles

• Abdominal muscles help the diaphragm control breathing during exercise. Abdominal muscles are primary muscles for exhalation during cardiovascular exercise. The abdominal muscles control exhalation by pushing air out of the lungs. Abdominal muscles push air out of the lungs by pushing the diaphragm against the lungs with a contraction that raises abdominal pressure.

Carbon Dioxide

• Respiratory centers at the base of the brain control automatic breathing. Brain, aorta and carotid artery sensory organs monitor oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood. Respiratory centers cause deeper and more frequent breathing when the sensory organs detect higher levels of carbon dioxide, or lighter and slower breathing with low carbon dioxide levels.