What are the similarities between the control of breathing and the control of heart rate?
To begin with a very basic similarity that the rates of both can be influenced by a number of factors, due to the changing needs and activities of the body. The medullary rhythmicity centre (involved in the controlling the basic rhythm of ventilation), and the cardiovascular control centre can both be found in the medulla oblongta of the brain. Both of these control centres are also split up into 2 individual centres situated in the medulla oblongta. The medullary rhythmicity centre consisting of the inspiratory centre and the expiratory centre, and the cardiovascular control centre consisting of the cardioacceleratory centre and cardioinhibitory centre. The centres in the medulla oblongta are involved in either speeding the rate or slowing it down. Both centres receive information from receptors, in the case of breathing from chemoreceptors in the medulla oblongta that detect an increase in the hydrogen ion concentration, and in the case of heart rate from baroreceptors present in the walls of the carotid sinuses, the aortic arch and the venae cavae. Changes are sent in impulses to the control centres. …
