ACTA UNIVERSITATIS PALACKIANAE OLOMUCENSIS GYMNICA ...

44 Acta Univ. Palacki. Olomuc., Gymn. 2004, vol. 34, no. 2perspective of survival, minimal energy expenditure,synergism with other systems and in human beings, especiallyexpressively, from the viewpoint of realisationof functions directed by the cerebral cortex”.The maintenance of adequate metabolic levels dependingon actual bodily needs is necessary for survival.These actual functional needs of the body are cateredto by means of chemical and nervous regulation ofrespiration. In human beings, a sign of our superiorityover other animal species is the ability to perform, toa certain degree, the voluntary regulation of ventilation,or respiratory pattern, which has been developed overgenerations (Paleček, 1999). The voluntary regulation ofrespiratory patterns in humans takes place through:1. regulation of respiratory frequency;2. regulation of respiratory volume;3. regulation of the ratio of duration of inspirationand expiration;4. regulation of respiratory resistance;5. regulation of inspiratory and expiratory muscletone.Regulation of respiration is dependent on externalconditions and the functional status of the body, therebyinfluencing the dynamics of all of the above processes.By the term optimal respiratory pattern Ganong (1999)understands a respiratory pattern where the respiratoryeffort is minimal. According to Dylevský, Druga, andMrázková (2000) the respiratory cycle is directed underthe command of the respiratory centre in the oblongata.Inspiration is directed by a system of afferent and efferentconnections. Fibres of the vagus, fi bres of thephrenic nerve, fi bres of the spinal nerves innervatingthe inspiratory muscles, the spinal circuits and thesympathetic and parasympathetic fi bres innervatingthe bronchial muscles constitute the afferent part ofthe reflex arc.The ability to voluntarily regulate respiratory patternin humans is related not only to an autonomousregulation at the level of the oblongata and the brainstem, but also to a certain degree of mutual co-operationbetween the autonomous and cortical regulatory systems.According to Souček and Kára (2002) voluntaryregulation of respiratory pattern infl uences, throughautonomous regulation, among others, changes inblood pressure and heart rate by directly influencing therespiratory centre at the cardio and vasomotor centreslocated in the brain stem, especially in the oblongata.Apparently, information from receptors in the lung parenchymaand capillaries plays an important role in influencingautonomous regulation. According to Palečeket al. (1999) the cardiovascular system, to some extent,has corporate arterial baroreceptors in common withthe respiratory system. According to Souček and Kára(2002) it is by these means that the modulation of bloodpressure and heart rate through the direct influence ofthe respiratory centre on the cardio and vasomotor centresof the brain steam and oblongata occurs during thecourse of a respiratory cycle. This interaction modulatesalso the function of arterial and probably also low-pressurebaroreflexion. Periodical changes in blood pressureknown as the so-called Traube-Hering waves, which arerelated to autonomous regulation and partly influencedby respiration. Relationships between respiration andchanges in heart rhythm are mentioned in the study byGoldberger et al. (1984).Respiratory frequency and respiratory volume, respectivelyintensity of breathing, influence changes inthe actual functional activity of ANS. Changes in heartrate variability influenced by breathing during restingconditions known as the so called heart respiratory arrhythmia,thus express a relation among vagus activity,respiration and the modulation of heart rate. By observingthe changes in heart rate variability during spontaneousrespiration and during voluntary respiratory pattern,we can thus observe the relationship between respirationand actual changes in heart rate variability, respectivelychanges in the functional activity of the nervous system(Goldberger et al., 1994; Grosmann, 1992b; Katona &Jih, 1975; Malik, 1998).Mutual relations among respiration, functional activityof the autonomous nervous system and cortical regulationof respiration are empirically used, for instance, inthe Indian practise of respiratory exercises (pranajama).This part of so-called hathayoga is regarded traditionallyto be the most important component of yoga exercises(Dostálek, 1996). In Western culture, respiratory gymnasticsoriginated from a yoga-type respiration used forhealing of ventilation disorders.The influence of some yoga respiratory techniqueson changes in lung ventilation was studied in the pastand duly published in the papers by Frostel, Pande, andHedenstierna (1983), Gore and Gharote (1987), andMiles (1964). Frostel, Pande, and Hedenstierna (1983)state that during rapid diaphragmatic respiration, withthe so-called technique of kapalabhaty which we usedas one of the yoga techniques in our research, changesin blood gas concentration do not occur. Raghujah andTelles (2003) describe the influence of supported respirationthrough one nostril on changes in ANS activity.Some auto concentration techniques using the effectof respiratory techniques and their influence on changesin cerebral cortex activity were described in studies byDostálek and Krása (1976), Fabián, Lepičovská, andDostálek (1982), Lepičovská and Dostálek (1981),Meyer and Gotoh (1960).The influence of respiration on blood pressure decreasewas described in the works of Patel (1978). Inthe works of Ornish (1991) the complex effect of yogaexercise is described and the practise of breathing onpositive changes in stenosal coronary vessels section