Research

Our body consists of skeletal muscles and visceral organs, which are voluntarily and involuntarily controlled by the somatic and autonomic nervous systems, respectively. Traditionally, these two systems are considered independent, resulting in a lack of research on their interactions. The respiratory system is a unique model where both skeletal muscles (e.g., diaphragm, vocal cords) and visceral organs (e.g., lungs, smooth muscles, exocrine glands) are jointly regulated. While breathing is fundamentally an involuntary process, it can also be voluntarily controlled, making it an ideal system to study the integration of somatic and autonomic nervous systems. We aim to investigate the cellular and systems-level mechanisms underlying the coordination of skeletal muscles and visceral organs for precise respiratory control from a brain-body interaction perspective. Through this, we seek to uncover the integrative principles of somatic and autonomic nervous system regulation in respiration and lay a foundation for new therapeutic strategies for idiopathic respiratory disorders.

Here, we will:

1) determine whether the autonomic nervous system is dynamically modulated alongside the somatic nervous system in a context-dependent manner;

2) uncover how visceral sensory inputs interact with somatic circuits to shape respiratory output; and lastly 3) explore how autonomic regulation dynamically adjusts sensory neuron sensitivity in peripheral tissues.

Aim 1: To investigate the electrophysiological and anatomical basis of somatic-autonomic integration during vocalization. Diverse vocal patterns require precise skeletal muscle control, but whether autonomic modulation (e.g., blood flow, mucus secretion) is also essential remains unclear. We hypothesize that the autonomic nervous system is dynamically engaged during vocalization. Using anatomical mapping and electrophysiology, we will identify parasympathetic preganglionic neurons in the brainstem and determine their integration with vocal somatic motor circuits.

Aim 2: To uncover how visceral sensory inputs shape skeletal vocal control. Visceral sensory inputs, such as lung pressure, strongly influence vocal features like loudness and frequency, yet their neural integration with somatic vocal pathway remains unclear. We will investigate how pulmonary visceral sensory signals interact with skeletal sensory pathways and shape vocal outputs using twophoton imaging and electrophysiology.

Aim 3: To explore parasympathetic–sensory interactions in the respiratory system. While autonomic nerves innervate visceral organs, their impact on peripheral functions is not fully understood. We hypothesize that the dynamic range of sensory neurons in peripheral tissue will be modulated by autonomic systems. Using light-sheet and functional calcium imaging, we will examine how parasympathetic modulation influences sensory sensitivity dynamics.

We EXPECT to not only 1) integrate the traditionally dichotomized concept of the somatic and autonomic nervous systems but also 2) elucidate the neural mechanisms of sensory-inter-motor circuits for precise motor control at both cellular and systems levels.

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