Is the Vertebrate Respiratory Central Pattern Generator Conserved?

Abstract

There have been considerable advances in our understanding of the anatomical substrates, neural connections and modulation of the mammalian respiratory central pattern generator (CPG). Despite these advances, however, relatively little is known about the regulation of CPGs for breathing in other vertebrates. It has been proposed that CPGs supporting a variety of motor behaviors such as breathing, locomotion, scratching and chewing, have been conserved in the course of vertebrate evolution. 14, 15 At present, there is little experimental support for this hypothesis.