Abstract
The heart beating and breathing are intricately linked, both functionally as well as anatomically. Within the central nervous system, we find highly overlapping brainstem networks that control these autonomic physiologies. Both of these activities are essential for survival, and the cardiorespiratory coupling has many potential benefits, creating synergies that promote healthy physiology. When this coupling deteriorates, autonomic dysautonomia ensues. In this lecture, I will discuss the neuronal control of this coupling in health and disease and describe how hypoxia can significantly alter these interactions as well as the modulatory control. I will describe how reactive oxygen species act on the neuronal network that provides the biological basis of respiratory sinus arrhythmia. I will also discuss how intermittent hypoxia alters the modulatory state of neuronal networks that ultimately drives these networks into instability.