The respiratory center is located in the medulla oblongata and pons, in
the brainstem. The respiratory center is made up of three major respiratory
groups of neurons, two in the medulla and one in the pons. In the medulla they
are the dorsal respiratory group, and the ventral respiratory group. In the
pons, the pontine respiratory group includes two areas known as the
pneumotaxic center and the apneustic center.
The respiratory center is responsible for generating and maintaining the
rhythm of respiration, and also of adjusting this in homeostatic response to
physiological changes. The respiratory center receives input from
chemoreceptors, mechanoreceptors, the cerebral cortex, and the hypothalamus in
order to regulate the rate and depth of breathing.