Figure 1

Autoresuscitation by gasping in healthy infant and its failure in neonate withSIDS. In a normal infant an inhalation of lower O₂ and/or higherCO₂ content in air evokes hypoxia with occurrence of solitary sighsor gasps. The sigh is accompanied by a startle reaction, which manifests with neckextension and upper airway dilation, resulting in normalization of breathing.Severe hypoxia provokes solitary gasps accompanied by cortical arousal andmovements. Progressive asphyxia provokes a period of gasping respirationcontributing to autoresuscitation by gasping. Similar asphyxia in a risky pretermbaby (including SIDS during a critical period after birth), does not evokesolitary sighs with startle or gasps, but results in silent death. Reproduced withpermission and modified from [31].