Descending forebrain projections targeting respiratory control areas in the midbrain and brainstem of rats

Abstract

Breathing can be voluntarily modulated via descending inputs from the forebrain to evoke respiratory‐related behaviours, such as vocalization, sniffing, swallowing or breath‐holding. Such behaviors require controlled laryngeal adduction and thus, are conducted during the post‐inspiratory phase of respiratory cycle. However, descending pathways that connect forebrain regions with primary post‐inspiratory control areas such as the pontine Kölliker‐Fuse nucleus (KF) and the medullary Bötzinger complex (BötC) remain to be identified. Here, we investigated the topography of forebrain descending projection neurons to a variety of bulbar respiratory nuclei. We locally microinjec..