- Apneustic respirations
Apneustic respiration (
a.k.a. apneusis) is an abnormal pattern of breathing characterized by deep, gasping inspiration with a pause at full inspiration followed by a brief, insufficient release.Accompanying signs and symptoms may include decerebrate or decorticate posturing; fixed, dilated pupils;
coma or profoundstupor ;quadriparesis ; absentcorneal reflex ; absentdoll's eye sign ; negativeoculocephalic reflex ; and obliteration of thegag reflex .Causes
It is caused by damage to the
pons or upper medulla caused by strokes or trauma. Specifically, concurrent removal of input from thevagus nerve and thepneumotaxic center causes this pattern of breathing. It is an ominous sign, with a generally poor prognosis.It can also be temporarily caused by some drugs, such as
ketamine .ee also
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Apneustic center External links
* [http://www.waiting.com/brainfuncthree.html About brain injury and functions]
* http://jap.physiology.org/cgi/reprint/55/3/851.pdf
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