Amygdala-driven apnea: A breath of fresh air in respiratory neurobiology

The amygdala is mainly known for its role in the pathogenesis of anxiety and the initiation of fear responses. However, there is growing evidence showing that the amygdala's ability to respond to internal stimuli such as CO₂ is limited, thereby challenging its role in the brain-behavior relationship. Based on these results and the strong inhibitory connections between the central nucleus of the amygdala and key brainstem areas regulating the reflexive respiratory responses to CO₂, Feinstein et al. propose amygdala-driven apnea as a novel mechanism in the chemoreceptive origin of anxiety.