Final answer:
'True'. The statement regarding proprioceptors influencing breathing patterns is true. Proprioceptors in muscles, joints, and tendons signal the brain to adjust breathing during physical exertion, leading to changes in ventilation in response to exercise.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that input from muscle and joint proprioceptors can alter breathing patterns is true. Proprioceptors are located within the muscles, joints, and tendons and are sensitive to movement and stretching. This stimulation of proprioceptors can create a signal that triggers the respiratory centers of the brain, leading to an adjustment in breathing patterns.
When engaging in physical activity, several stimuli, including psychological, motor neuron, and proprioceptor inputs, act upon the respiratory centers. These inputs lead to a sudden increase in ventilation as exercise begins, which indicates the body's adaptation to the increased oxygen demands of the muscles during exertion. Likewise, the sudden decrease in ventilation immediately after the exercise ends signifies the cessation of these neural stimuli, showing again the role they play in controlling ventilation.