Adaptive behavior in the respiratory chemoreflex response

Abstract

The chemoreflex response is adaptively modified to optimize respiration relative to specific chemical and mechanical constraints. It is shown that there is a difference in the responses under inspiratory resistive loading between CO/sub 2/ and dead-space breathing. The difference in response suggests the existence of an adaptive behavior of the controller. Chemoreflex controls respiration, but it is not above being modified, or adapting, to different situations to produce more effective breathing.<>