An inspiration-off attractor supports the robust and flexible control of breathing
Nicholas E. Bush, Luiz M. Oliveira, Zachary T. Glovak, Jan-Marino Ramirez · 2026
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Description
Nicholas E Bush and co-authors map how the brain stem switches breathing off after each breath in. Breathing rhythm comes from a column of nerve cells in the medulla, yet how restraint signals shape that rhythm in living animals was unclear. The team records dense activity along that column while nudging its inputs.
They trigger the lung stretch pathway, a classic off switch, and compare it with restraint applied inside the column itself. Both shift breath timing, though in measurably distinct ways. Model fits show restraint works by briefly steadying a calm zone in the network state that matches breathing out. The authors call this zone an inspiration-off attractor. Their model ties firm, flexible breath control to that attractor, a fresh base for studies of breathing failure.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Nicholas E. Bush, Luiz M. Oliveira, Zachary T. Glovak, Jan-Marino Ramirez |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 89 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |