Effects of different slow paced breathing regimes on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) oscillations

Abstract Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) transport is crucial for waste clearance and the maintenance of healthy brain function. Various factors, including respiration, have been proposed to drive CSF pulsation. Despite the close relationship between CSF movement and respiration, the impact of different slow respiratory frequencies on CSF oscillations remains unclear. Utilizing a fast neuroimaging technique, we investigated the effects of four different paced respiratory conditions on CSF oscillations. Our findings indicate that all paced respiratory conditions resulted in increased CSF oscillatory power and BOLD global signal amplitude, factors previously associated with increased CSF pulsations. Additionally, we observed that, compared to rest, paced sighing at the 0.02-0.03 Hz frequency range significantly increased the coupling between CSF oscillations and the negative derivative of the BOLD signal. Our study provides a novel perspective on how the frequency of breathing can influence CSF oscillations during wakefulness. Highlights: Breathing manipulations affect CSF oscillatory power during wakefulness Paced sighing at frequency lower than breathing led to stronger dynamic between CSF and BOLD Breathing and sighing manipulations lower the BOLD signal proxy of arousal Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.