Mechanisms underlying respiratory motor plasticity

背景：呼吸控制系统不仅仅是反射性的——它很聪明，会学习，事实上它还有工作记忆。呼吸系统倾听并仔细记住先前的刺激是如何影响呼吸的。呼吸记忆是通过调节呼吸神经元之间的突触强度而形成的。重复的呼吸刺激（如呼吸暂停）会诱发一种记忆，这种记忆会增强呼吸运动神经元触发呼吸肌收缩的能力。这种类型的呼吸运动可塑性被称为长期促进（LTF），它可能有助于加深呼吸和改善有效的肺通气。

Context: The respiratory control system is not just reflexive - it is smart, it learns and in fact it has a working memory. The respiratory system listens to and carefully remembers how previous stimuli affect breathing. Respiratory memory is laid down by adjusting synaptic strength between respiratory neurons. Repeated respiratory stimuli (e.g. apnea) induce a form of memory that strengthens the ability of respiratory motoneurons to trigger contraction of breathing muscles. This type of respiratory motor plasticity is called long-term facilitation (LTF) and it may serve to deepen breathing and improve effective lung ventilation.