Final answer:
Central sleep apnea is a condition where the brain's respiratory centers do not properly respond to CO2 levels, causing breathing to temporarily stop, especially during sleep. It can result from neurological disorders or damage to the brain regions responsible for respiratory control, such as the pons or medulla oblongata.
Step-by-step explanation:
The abnormal breathing pattern you're describing is called central sleep apnea. This condition involves the respiratory centers in the brain, which fail to respond properly to rising carbon dioxide levels, thus not stimulating the muscles involved in breathing, such as the diaphragm and intercostal muscles. During central sleep apnea, breathing stops for short periods, and is often associated with neurological disorders or damage to parts of the brain like the pons or medulla oblongata, which contain the respiratory centers. Conditions like brain tumors, seizures, head injuries, hydrocephalus, neuromuscular disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, and the effects of certain drugs can lead to central sleep apnea by affecting these brain regions.
In addition to the neurological causes, changes in respiratory functions can be observed in various situations, such as during exercise, where a process known as hyperpnea increases the rate and depth of ventilation. It's important to note that central sleep apnea differs from obstructive sleep apnea, which involves a physical blockage of the airway. Symptoms of central sleep apnea may include fatigue, irritability, memory problems, and morning headaches, and it can lead to poor sleep quality.