The ins and outs of breath holding: simple demonstrations of complex respiratory physiology

Advances in Physiology Education
Rachel J SkowCraig D Steinback

Abstract

The physiology of breath holding is complex, and voluntary breath-hold duration is affected by many factors, including practice, psychology, respiratory chemoreflexes, and lung stretch. In this activity, we outline a number of simple laboratory activities or classroom demonstrations that illustrate the complexity of the integrative physiology behind breath-hold duration. These activities require minimal equipment and are easily adapted to small-group demonstrations or a larger-group inquiry format where students can design a protocol and collect and analyze data from their classmates. Specifically, breath-hold duration is measured during a number of maneuvers, including after end expiration, end inspiration, voluntary prior hyperventilation, and inspired hyperoxia. Further activities illustrate the potential contribution of chemoreflexes through rebreathing and repeated rebreathing after a maximum breath hold. The outcome measures resulting from each intervention are easily visualized and plotted and can comprise a comprehensive data set to illustrate and discuss complex and integrated cardiorespiratory physiology.

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Citations

Mar 3, 2017·BioMed Research International·Nikita Trembach, Igor Zabolotskikh
Nov 4, 2017·Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism : Official Journal of the International Society of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism·Mark B Vestergaard, Henrik Bw Larsson
Jan 30, 2019·Physiological Reports·Stephen A BuschCraig D Steinback

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