Stress has a profound impact on the brain and is a significant risk factor for many diseases, including cardiovascular and psychiatric disease. Yet, stress is increasing within our daily lives. Understanding precisely how stress leads to disease will be critical to disease prevention.
This research project focuses on how stress affects mitochondria to impact function across different brain regions and ultimately the body, leading to inflammation and hypertension.
We seek to understand how chronic unpredictable stress impacts different areas of the brain in association with different behaviors linked to disease.
We hypothesize that chronic stress will have different effects in females compared to males. Our initial results support this hypothesis as we see unique effects of stress on female mitochondrial function in specific brain regions.
We measure mitochondrial function in individual brain regions of both males and females.
Females are underrepresented in biomedical research. Our dedication to including sex
as a biological variable will yield valuable insights into unique effects of stress
on female brain and health.
Purpose: To study how mitochondrial DNA release in the brain links chronic unpredictable stress with sympathetic nervous system hyperactivation
Hypothesis: Chronic unpredictable stress will induce mitochondrial DNA release in specific brain regions within the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis that will trigger an innate immune response activating microglia to promote SNS (sympathetic nervous system) hyperactivity and ultimately hypertension.
Goals: Mitochondrial function is crucial for health. This is especially true in the brain, where neurons are heavily reliant on mitochondria for the energy production to support neuronal function. Each brain region has its own energetic needs. By understanding the impact of stress on mitochondrial function, we can better develop therapies to prevent or counteract the effects of stress.
Vision: New sex-specific strategies, understandings and even therapeutic targets to treat diseases and disorders that are affected by stress
While this research improves the lives of anyone who has cardiovascular disease or knows someone with cardiovascular disease in South Carolina—a high percentage of the population—certain groups will benefit greatly from this focus area and the institute's work at large.
This research will improve the lives of anyone who has cardiovascular disease or knows someone with cardiovascular disease in South Carolina. However, certain groups will greatly benefit from our focus area and the institute's work at large.
High blood pressure disproportionately affects African American communities. This community experiences high heart failure rates despite health providers meeting standard of care guidelines. The institute will shed light on how body responses to everyday situations increase the likelihood of cardiovascular disease in these populations.
Exposure to trauma affects the body in significant ways, especially the heart and vascular system. Veterans are at higher risk of having a new onset of heart disease compared with non-veterans. This research contributes directly to improving the lives of veterans and those with trauma or PTSD, while adding to the overall knowledge base of care for veterans.