Adembewegingen

Adembewegingen, also known as respiratory movements, refer to the physical actions involved in breathing. This process is essential for life, allowing the body to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide with the environment. The primary muscles responsible for these movements are the diaphragm and the intercostal muscles.

During inhalation, the diaphragm contracts and flattens, moving downward. Simultaneously, the external intercostal muscles contract, lifting the rib cage upward and outward. These actions increase the volume of the thoracic cavity, which in turn decreases the pressure within the lungs. This pressure difference causes air to flow into the lungs.

Exhalation is typically a passive process, especially at rest. The diaphragm relaxes and returns to its dome shape, and the external intercostal muscles relax, allowing the rib cage to move downward and inward. This reduces the volume of the thoracic cavity, increasing the pressure within the lungs and forcing air out. Forced exhalation, such as when coughing or exercising, involves the contraction of abdominal muscles and internal intercostal muscles to further reduce the thoracic volume.

The rate and depth of adembewegingen are controlled by the respiratory center in the brainstem, which responds to changes in blood oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. This automatic regulation ensures that the body's metabolic needs for oxygen are met and waste carbon dioxide is efficiently removed. Variations in adembewegingen can indicate various physiological or pathological states.