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Cited by 338Neuroscience of respiration and sleepHeart Rate Variability and Autonomic ControlPsychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 90 of the 90 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Breathing above the brain stem: volitional control and attentional modulation in humans

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Herrero, Jose L., Khuvis, Simon, Yeagle, Erin, Cerf, Moran, Mehta, Ashesh D.·2018·Journal of Neurophysiology
DOI 10.1152/jn.00551.2017PMC PMC5866472
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Abstract

Whereas the neurophysiology of respiration has traditionally focused on automatic brain stem processes, higher brain mechanisms underlying the cognitive aspects of breathing are gaining increasing interest. Therapeutic techniques have used conscious control and awareness of breathing for millennia with little understanding of the mechanisms underlying their efficacy. Using direct intracranial recordings in humans, we correlated cortical and limbic neuronal activity as measured by the intracranial electroencephalogram (iEEG) with the breathing cycle. We show this to be the direct result of neuronal activity, as demonstrated by both the specificity of the finding to the cortical gray matter and the tracking of breath by the gamma-band (40–150 Hz) envelope in these structures. We extend prior observations by showing the iEEG signal to track the breathing cycle across a widespread network of cortical and limbic structures. We further demonstrate a sensitivity of this tracking to cognitive factors by using tasks adapted from cognitive behavioral therapy and meditative practice. Specifically, volitional control and awareness of breathing engage distinct but overlapping brain circuits. During volitionally paced breathing, iEEG-breath coherence increases in a frontotemporal-insular network, and during attention to breathing, we demonstrate increased coherence in the anterior cingulate, premotor, insular, and hippocampal cortices. Our findings suggest that breathing can act as an organizing hierarchical principle for neuronal oscillations throughout the brain and detail mechanisms of how cognitive factors impact otherwise automatic neuronal processes during interoceptive attention. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Whereas the link between breathing and brain activity has a long history of application to therapy, its neurophysiology remains unexplored. Using intracranial recordings in humans, we show neuronal activity to track the breathing cycle throughout widespread cortical/limbic sites. Volitional pacing of the breath engages frontotemporal-insular cortices, whereas attention to automatic breathing modulates the cingulate cortex. Our findings imply a fundamental role of breathing-related oscillations in driving neuronal activity and provide insight into the neuronal mechanisms of interoceptive attention.

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  1. Papademetris X, 2006, Insight J, 2006, 209

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Metadata

Authors
Herrero, J. L., Khuvis, S., Yeagle, E., Cerf, M., & Mehta, A. D.
Affiliations
  • Feinstein Institute for Medical Research (US)
  • Northwestern University (US)
Corresponding author
Mehta, Ashesh D.
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Neurophysiology
Publisher
American Physiological Society
Published
2018-01-01
Volume
119
Issue
1
Pages
145-159
ISSN
  • 0022-3077 (ISSN-L)
  • 1522-1598
DOI
10.1152/jn.00551.2017
PMC
PMC5866472
OpenAlex
W2760226235
Cited by
338
References
86
Citations by year
2026: 32 · 2025: 54 · 2024: 46 · 2023: 55 · 2022: 51 · 2021: 34 · 2020: 29 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 16
FWCI
11.07
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Neurophysiology (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • HHS | NIH | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) (NIH/NINDS U01 NS098976-01)
  • HHS | NIH | National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (NIH/NIMH R01 MH111439, NIMH 1R21MH114166-01)
  • Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) (LT000151/2012-L/6)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Neuroscience of respiration and sleep
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
Keywords
breathing, respiration, brainstem, volitional control, interoceptive attention, intracranial EEG, gamma oscillations, neural oscillations, insula, anterior cingulate cortex, hippocampus, premotor cortex, cognitive behavioral therapy, meditation, intracranial recordings
MeSH terms
Adult, Attention, Brain Stem, Cerebral Cortex, Female, Humans, Male, Respiration, Gamma Rhythm

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