Physiological Insights Derived from Mathematical Models of Respiration

The structure of several respiratory models are reviewed and the physiological foundations of salient features are explained. The models reviewed include an early model of Cheyne-Stokes breathing, the gas stores of the body following alterations in ventilation, sleep apnea considered as instability in the respiratory control system, a neurochemical model describing effects of neural drives on breathing in respiratory control of awake people, and inclusion in the neurochemical control system a respiratory pattern generator, as a potential source of apneas. Finally, current work is described to quantify obstructive apneas, and their interdependence with central apneas and the respiratory control system.