Holding their breath for the breathless

70652986 — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 05:40:49 -0400

Two researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) got the idea of studying free divers to get information that would help them help the breathless to breathe better. "We hope that by studying these athletes, we can teach patients how to better cope and recover from episodes of breathlessness," says Andrew Binks.

Divers took a battery of tests to see why their breathing capacity is so different from that of other people. Both they and a comparison group of normals were hooked up to a mechanical ventilator that controlled how often and how deeply they breathed. This device prevented the divers from breathing faster and deeper than nondivers.

Mapping the brain's response to breathlessness

70652986 — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 05:06:41 -0400

In an experiment, healthy men were placed on ventilators, and their ability to take deep breaths was controlled. As their breathing was regulated, their brains were imaged using a PET camera. The images were then compared to scans taken prior to the experiment to see which areas, if any, were turned on when the body perceived it was not getting enough air. Through this study, Harvard School of Public Health researchers and colleagues from the Imperial College School of Medicine in London were able to identify the area of the brain that is activated during shortness of breath. "This kind of basic science underlies the understanding one needs to use breathlessness as a tool of diagnosis," said Robert Banzett, associate professor in the Department of Environmental Health and lead author of the study.

all Robert Banzett stories

Holding their breath for the breathless

Mapping the brain's response to breathlessness