Peritoneal sepsis caused by Escherichia coli triggers brainstem inflammation and alters the function of sympatho-respiratory control circuits.

Background: Sepsis has a high mortality rate due to multiple organ failure. However, the influence of peripheral inflammation on brainstem autonomic and respiratory circuits in sepsis is poorly understood. Our working hypothesis is that peripheral inflammation affects central autonomic circuits and consequently contributes to multiorgan failure in sepsis.

Dynamics of ventilatory pattern variability and Cardioventilatory Coupling during systemic inflammation in rats.

Biometrics of common physiologic signals can reflect health status. We have developed analytics to measure the predictability of ventilatory pattern variability (VPV, Nonlinear Complexity Index (NLCI) that quantifies the predictability of a continuous waveform associated with inhalation and exhalation) and the cardioventilatory coupling (CVC, the tendency of the last heartbeat in expiration to occur at preferred latency before the next inspiration). We hypothesized that measures of VPV and CVC are sensitive to the development of endotoxemia, which evoke neuroinflammation.

Cannabinoid Receptor mRNA Expression in Central and Peripheral Tissues in a Rodent Model of Peritonitis.

Our laboratory investigates changes in the respiratory pattern during systemic inflammation in various rodent models. The endogenous cannabinoid system (ECS) regulates cytokine production and mitigates inflammation. Inflammation not only affects cannabinoid (CB) 1 and CB2 receptor gene expression ( and ), but also increases the predictability of the ventilatory pattern.

AGTR2 absence or antagonism prevents cystic fibrosis pulmonary manifestations.

Background: Pulmonary disease remains the primary cause of morbidity and mortality for individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF). Variants at a locus on the X-chromosome containing the type 2 angiotensin II receptor gene (AGTR2) were identified by a large GWAS as significantly associating with lung function in CF patients. We hypothesized that manipulating the angiotensin-signaling pathway may yield clinical benefit in CF.

Mid-cervical spinal cord contusion causes robust deficits in respiratory parameters and pattern variability.

Mid-cervical spinal cord contusion disrupts both the pathways and motoneurons vital to the activity of inspiratory muscles. The present study was designed to determine if a rat contusion model could result in a measurable deficit to both ventilatory and respiratory motor function under "normal" breathing conditions at acute to chronic stages post trauma. Through whole body plethysmography and electromyography we assessed respiratory output from three days to twelve weeks after a cervical level 3 (C3) contusion.

Early pulmonary disease manifestations in cystic fibrosis mice.

Background: Altered pulmonary function is present early in the course of cystic fibrosis (CF), independent of documented infections or onset of pulmonary symptoms. New initiatives in clinical care are focusing on detection and characterization of preclinical disease. Thus, animal models are needed which recapitulate the pulmonary phenotype characteristic of early stage CF.

Effects of environment light during sleep on autonomic functions of heart rate and breathing.

Purpose: Poor sleep hygiene including sleeping in the daytime or with the lights on at night is discovered during the assessment of many sleep disorders including sleep apnea. The aim of this study was to investigate whether environmental light affected autonomic control of heart rate, sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), and/or breathing patterning.

Methods: Seventeen non-obese healthy volunteers without witnessed snoring and apneas were recruited.

Ventilatory pattern and energy expenditure are altered in cystic fibrosis mice.

Background: Altered ventilatory pattern and increased energy expenditure are facets of the complex cystic fibrosis (CF) phenotype. It is not known whether these are inherent attributes of CF, secondary consequences of lung infection or other disease complications.

Methods: Studies were performed in congenic C57BL/6J, F508del (Cftr((tm1kth))) and CF gut-corrected (F508del) mice.

Breathing irregularity during wakefulness associates with CPAP acceptance in sleep apnea.

Purpose: Individuals have different breathing patterns at rest, during wakefulness, and during sleep, and patients with sleep apnea are no different. The hypothesis for this study was that breathing irregularity during wakefulness associates with CPAP acceptance in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Methods: From a 2007-2010-database of patients with a diagnostic polysomnography (PSG) and prescribed CPAP (n = 380), retrospectively, 66 patients who quit CPAP treatment at 6 months were identified.