Role of the Human Nervous System in Homeostatic Regulation of Rate of Respiration (Essay Sample)

Role of the Human Nervous System in Homeostatic Regulation of Rate of Respiration
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Homeostasis gets referred to as the ability of a certain organism to get to a position of maintaining a constant, stable internal environment even in the case of a change in the external environment. Respiration, blood pressure, and controls in temperature are the processes through which human beings maintain a balance in the electrolytes and ph levels in their bodies.Species fall in the class of regulators or rather the conformers and these species get characterized by the ability to keep certain parameters irrespective of the surrounding environment. In a cross range of a set of temperatures, mammals who get regarded as the regulators have the ability to maintain a uniform body temperature across a wide range of ambient temperatures. Snakes fall in the class of reptiles and in this case they are regarded to as the conformers since they lie on the rocks in the morning like the event of lizards and frogs with a full intention of raising their body temperatures. Consequently, during hot weather, they lie on cold substances to calm their bodies.
Regarding the concept of adaptation, such behaviors offer them with a platform to have control in their environment though they are unable to maintain the homeostasis considering this function. The regulatory systems that come up with the maintenance of homeostasis are associated with significant consumption of energy which is taken in in the form of food. Hence, snakes and other reptiles can survive for a week on a single meal since this function does not characterize them. Organisms such as mammals that maintain homeostasis are affected by age thus leading to cause of diseases. The nervous system is composed of two parts that get integrated with each other. The brain and the nervous system have significant features that are essential for the proper functioning of the body. The nervous system consists of the following parts such as the brain that have parts such as the cerebral cortex whose function are language, movement, thought reasoning and perception. The cerebellum is a part of the brain that maintains physical movement, posture, and balance. It's further divided into two sections the cortex and the hemisphere. Hypothalamus functions in regulating body temperatures, hunger, and emotions. The brain stem is a significant area that controls the respiratory system, blood pressure and heart rate (Role of the Human Nervous System in Homeostatic Regulation of Rate of Respiration, 2017). The thalamus functions by integration of sensor information to motored information. Limbic system consequently functions in controlling emotions. The midbrain controls the five senses and general movement of the body. The autonomic nervous system is necessary during emergencies.
The rate of respiration human physiological parameters which are constantly affected by changes in the internal and external environments. The respiratory system gets categorized with the primary function of ensuring movement of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the blood and the alveoli, transportation of oxygen in and exit the body tissues and consequently provides an exchange of air between the alveoli in the lungs and the atmosphere. The paper has it a central focal point in the mode by which the nervous system functions in maintaining a constant rate of changes in the rate of respiration of the human body. In meeting the demands of a human body, the respiratory system is required to make constant adjustments. The rate of respiration shift on the state of exercise. In the case of heavy exercising, there is a tremendous increase in the rate of respiration. In the event of activities such as sleep and having a rest, the speed of breath decreases ( Beachey, 2017). The diaphragm relaxes and contracts during expiration and inspiration respectively. In the dark termination, abdominal muscles are involved in the process.
Two neural mechanisms are in the regulation of the respiration process. In the cerebral cortex, voluntary control is found here arising from the motor neutrons and through the corticospinal tract as it’s the case during involuntary and speech that are controlled by the medulla oblongata that is responsible for depth and rate of breathing. Pons functions in regulating the tempo of breathing. In the spinal cord, it's where the final pathway of the mechanism listed in this section found(Jürgen & George, 2012). During heavy exercises, the arterial pressure of carbon dioxide and oxygen hardly changes but there exist sensors in the carotid and the aorta whose function in monitoring their blood concentration hence over breathing they have a secondary control.
Fig shows the mechanism and muscles involved in neural control of breathing
There are two nuclei respiratory that are participating in the medulla oblongata and include the inspiratory and expiratory centers. The inspiratory center gets found in the upper part of the medulla, and its role is to receive impulses sent by the lung receptors. In the case of a normal respiration, the basic rate starts slowly and increases for several seconds also regarded to as the inspiratory ramp signal. There are various types of receptors such as the baroreceptors, peripheral chemoreceptors, and the several pulmonary receptors and are considered to be external sources and this is where the receptors are received.
During normal expiration, the expiratory center traces its location in either area of the ventrolateral section of the medulla and not used unless in the case of forced expiration. The ventrolateral center characterized with causes of expiration or inspiration or expiration like in the case where the abdominal muscles are called upon to give assistance in the forced type of termination. Signals for inspiration and expiration are received by the internal and external intercostal muscles respectively. In the period of increase in respiration during heavy exercises, the neutrons at this area become activated.
At these moments, the inspiratory centers are greater than those at the expiratory center which has raised the level of activities than the inspiratory centers. In addition to this, the apneustic center and the pneumotoxic center located in the dorsal area get included in the pon. Impulses are sent to the neurons to the inspiratory area of the medulla oblongata by the pneumotoxic center only. During normal and abnormal breathing, regulation of the rate of respiration is carried out, and limitation of the burst of action potentials gets conducted in the phrenic nerve. It also functions in restriction of the tidal volume size. The point at which the inspiratory ramp stops is also controlled thus causing limitations to inspiration. With the reduction of limitation of inspiration, the rate of breathing is affected too thus shortening the length of expiration.
Fig 2 shows the mechanism and parts involved in neural control of breathing
Inspiratory gap also known as the Apneusis brings out respiration. The increase in the rate of breathing and decrease occur as a result of vigorous and weak stimulations. In the apneustic center in the lower parts of the pons, respiration is brought out, for example, could lead to a rise in the period for inspiration and prevention of switch off in the inspiratory ramp signal. During heavy exercise, there are usually high demands of oxygen in the body thus signals are sent to the dorsal respiratory group of neurons during such times. Whenever the brain stem is cut directly above the apneustic center, respiration can get ceased like in the case of extreme fatigue. According to the recent study made on human physiology, pre-bortzinger located in the upper end of the medullary respiratory center is in charge for the generation of respiratory system rhythm.
In the respiratory system, there exist various feedback mechanisms characterized with different functions and includes the Herring-Breuer reflex that helps in hindering the lungs from getting filled with air beyond the capacity they can hold. In addition to this, the stretch r...