Nervous System Diseases: Parasympathetic https://greenmedinfo.com/taxonomy/term/3479/all en Pranayamic breathing may modulate autonomic nervous system function through neural respiratory elements. https://greenmedinfo.com/article/pranayamic-breathing-may-modulate-autonomic-nervous-system-function-through-ne PMID:  Med Hypotheses. 2006;67(3):566-71. Epub 2006 Apr 18. PMID: 16624497 Abstract Title:  Physiology of long pranayamic breathing: neural respiratory elements may provide a mechanism that explains how slow deep breathing shifts the autonomic nervous system. Abstract:  Pranayamic breathing, defined as a manipulation of breath movement, has been shown to contribute to a physiologic response characterized by the presence of decreased oxygen consumption, decreased heart rate, and decreased blood pressure, as well as increased theta wave amplitude in EEG recordings, increased parasympathetic activity accompanied by the experience of alertness and reinvigoration. The mechanism of how pranayamic breathing interacts with the nervous system affecting metabolism and autonomic functions remains to be clearly understood. It is our hypothesis that voluntary slow deep breathing functionally resets the autonomic nervous system through stretch-induced inhibitory signals and hyperpolarization currents propagated through both neural and non-neural tissue which synchronizes neural elements in the heart, lungs, limbic system and cortex. During inspiration, stretching of lung tissue produces inhibitory signals by action of slowly adapting stretch receptors (SARs) and hyperpolarization current by action of fibroblasts. Both inhibitory impulses and hyperpolarization current are known to synchronize neural elements leading to the modulation of the nervous system and decreased metabolic activity indicative of the parasympathetic state. In this paper we propose pranayama's physiologic mechanism through a cellular and systems level perspective, involving both neural and non-neural elements. This theoretical description describes a common physiological mechanism underlying pranayama and elucidate the role of the respiratory and cardiovascular system on modulating the autonomic nervous system. Along with facilitating the design of clinical breathing techniques for the treatment of autonomic nervous system and other disorders, this model will also validate pranayama as a topic requiring more research. https://greenmedinfo.com/article/pranayamic-breathing-may-modulate-autonomic-nervous-system-function-through-ne#comments Autonomic Nervous System Diseases Nervous System Diseases: Parasympathetic Nervous System Diseases: Sympathetic Therapeutic Breathing Yogic Breathing Commentary Mon, 15 Nov 2010 13:10:06 +0000 greenmedinfo 58720 at https://greenmedinfo.com Regular short-term practice of breathing exercises has a regulatory effect on autonomic functions in normal subjects. https://greenmedinfo.com/article/regular-short-term-practice-breathing-exercises-has-regulatory-effect-autonomi PMID:  Indian J Med Res. 2004 Aug;120(2):115-21. PMID: 15347862 Abstract Title:  Effect of short-term practice of breathing exercises on autonomic functions in normal human volunteers. Abstract:  BACKGROUND&OBJECTIVES: Practice of breathing exercises like pranayama is known to improve autonomic function by changing sympathetic or parasympathetic activity. Therefore, in the present study the effect of breathing exercises on autonomic functions was performed in young volunteers in the age group of 17-19 yr. METHODS: A total of 60 male undergraduate medical students were randomly divided into two groups: slow breathing group (that practiced slow breathing exercise) and the fast breathing group (that practiced fast breathing exercise). The breathing exercises were practiced for a period of three months. Autonomic function tests were performed before and after the practice of breathing exercises. RESULTS: The increased parasympathetic activity and decreased sympathetic activity were observed in slow breathing group, whereas no significant change in autonomic functions was observed in the fast breathing group. INTERPRETATION&CONCLUSION: The findings of the present study show that regular practice of slow breathing exercise for three months improves autonomic functions, while practice of fast breathing exercise for the same duration does not affect the autonomic functions. https://greenmedinfo.com/article/regular-short-term-practice-breathing-exercises-has-regulatory-effect-autonomi#comments Autonomic Nervous System Diseases Nervous System Diseases: Parasympathetic Nervous System Diseases: Sympathetic Human Study Mon, 15 Nov 2010 13:02:09 +0000 greenmedinfo 58715 at https://greenmedinfo.com