Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 May 6.
Published in final edited form as: Compr Physiol. 2012 Oct;2(4):2443–2469. doi: 10.1002/cphy.c100015

Figure 7.

Figure 7

Conceptual model of a dynamic switch between either Breuer-Hering reflex (BHR, pulmonary stretch receptor) or Kölliker-Fuse complex (KF) controlled inspiratory off-switch (IOS). This switch occurs naturally in the process of postnatal maturation. The concept is based on the dual processing theory and involves habituation of the PSR input at level of the nuclei of the solitary tract (NTS) and sensitization of synaptic activity of the KF-area. (A) During PSR dominance the second-order neurons that receive PSR input (pump cells) of the NTS inhibit the efference copy (see also Fig. 7) to the KF and the sensory feedback mediates the IOS. (B) During KF dominance the PSR input habituates (H) at level of the NTS and in turn sensitizes (S) the descending KF input to CPG to mediate IOS.