The supplementary motor area exerts a tonic excitatory influence on corticospinal projections to phrenic motoneurons in awake humans

In humans, cortical mechanisms can interfere with autonomic breathing. Respiratory-related activation of the supplementary motor area (SMA) has been documented during voluntary breathing and in response to inspiratory constraints. The SMA could therefore participate in the increased resting state of the respiratory motor system during wake (i.e. "wakefulness drive to breathe"). The SMA was conditioned by continuous theta burst magnetic stimulation (cTBS, inhibitory) and 5 Hz conventional rTMS (5 Hz, excitatory). The ensuing effects were described in terms of the diaphragm motor evoked response (DiMEPs) to single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation over the motor cortex. DiMEPs were recorded at baseline, and at 3 time-points ("post1", "post2", "post3") up to 15 minutes following conditioning of the SMA. cTBS reduced the amplitude of DiMEPs from 327.5 ± 159.8 µV at baseline to 243.3 ± 118.7 µV, 217.8 ± 102.9 µV and 240.6 ± 123.9 µV at post 1, post 2 and post 3, respectively (F = 6.341, p = 0.002). 5 Hz conditioning increased the amplitude of DiMEPs from 184.7 ± 96.5 µV at baseline to 270.7 ± 135.4 µV at post 3 (F = 4.844, p = 0.009). The corticospinal pathway to the diaphragm can be modulated in both directions by conditioning the SMA. This suggests that the baseline respiratory activity of the SMA represents an equipoise from which it is possible to move in either direction. The resting corticofugal outflow from the SMA to phrenic motoneurones that this study evidences could putatively contribute to the wakefulness drive to breathe.