# Unraveling neuroglial interactions underlying the central hypoxic response and sigh generation in the preBötzinger Complex

> **NIH NIH F31** · SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL · 2020 · $39,040

## Abstract

Summary
Normal breathing, termed ‘eupnea’, is periodically interrupted by larger breaths known as sighs. Sighs occur at
regular intervals to re-inflate collapsed alveoli and are essential to prevent spontaneous atelectasis. During
sleep, sighs also function to trigger arousal to hypoxia and are common during transitions between different
sleep states. Indeed, reduced sighing has been reported in infants who have died from Sudden Infant Death
Syndrome (SIDS). Sighing is also linked to higher-order brain functions and emotions such as love, stress,
exasperation, and is clinically tied to anxiety disorders. The rhythmogenic circuit in the brain that produces
eupnea and sighs is the preBötzinger Complex, located bilaterally in the ventrolateral medulla. However, despite
its physiological importance, the specific mechanisms that generate sighs are not well understood.
Moreover, whether the same microcircuit can simultaneously generate both a fast eupneic breathing
rhythm and a much slower sigh rhythm is a matter of debate. Based on our intriguing preliminary
observations, we hypothesize that sighs are generated by the interaction between neurons and astrocytes in the
preBötzinger Complex. Here, we propose to test this hypothesis using in vitro and in vivo mouse preparations
and a combination of optogenetic, electrophysiological, calcium imaging, pharmacological, and histological
approaches.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10085161
- **Project number:** 5F31HL149156-02
- **Recipient organization:** SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Liza J. Severs
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $39,040
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-30 → 2021-09-19

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10085161

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10085161, Unraveling neuroglial interactions underlying the central hypoxic response and sigh generation in the preBötzinger Complex (5F31HL149156-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10085161. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*