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done at baseline in supine position (during quiet breathing and DB exercises in 6 healthy controls, 5 male and 1 female aged 24-40 years. Eight patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA) or Parkinson’s disease (PD) and 8 without MSA or PD. Four males aged 71-73 and 4 females aged 60-67 years were studied. The results were analysed and compared. The CVT was measured using the NeuroScope and expressed in units of a linear vagal scale (LVS). The local ethics committee of the Imperial College, London UK. Results: The average CVT during DB exercises in healthy people was (mean ± S.E.M., units of LVS) 16.4 ± 2.6, a significant increase above the baseline CVT of 9.1 ± 1.6 (P b 0.04, paired Student’s t-test where P b 0.05 is statistically significant). The average CVT in similar DB exercise in age matched patients with no neurodegerative disorders was 9.3 ± 1.1, whichwas a significant rise above a baseline of 3.6 ± 0.6 (p b 0.0004) and the peak significantly rose to 14.0 ± 1.8, 389% of the baseline level (p b 0.0005). The average CVT during deep breathingwas 2.6 ± 0.6 and was not significantly different from the baseline level of 2.3 ± 0.7 (p N 0.3), but the peak CVT was 3.7 ± 0.7, it significantly increased to 160% of baseline level in patients with neurodegenerative disorders. Conclusion: Cholinergic dependant central respiratory modulation of CVMN is impaired in neurodegenerative disorders and cholinergic interneurones may be affected in the lower brainstem in neurodegerative disorders.