Neuroscientists discover how the brain slows anxious breathing

Deep breath in, slow breath out… Isn’t it odd that we can self-soothe by voluntarily slowing down our breath? Humans have long used slow breathing to regulate emotions, but scientists had yet to understand how the brain consciously controls our breathing and whether this actually has a direct effect on our anxiety and emotional state. Associate Professor Sung Han, senior research associate Jinho Jhang, and colleagues have now, for the first time, identified a specific brain circuit that regulates voluntary breathing. Using mice, the researchers pinpointed a group of brain cells in the frontal cortex of the brain that connects to the lower brainstem, where vital actions like breathing are controlled. Their findings show that this neural pathway allows us to coordinate our breathing with our current behaviors and emotional state. Han says new therapeutics designed to target these brain cells could help prevent panic and hyperventilation in anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorders.

Read News Release