Dysfunction of the nervous system plays an important role in the symptoms of many respiratory diseases. For example, excessive non-productive coughing, elevated mucous secretion, reduced airway patency and hyperreactivity are all characteristic symptoms of diseases such as asthma and all involve over-activity of the nervous system. This research aims to understand the neural circuitry that is involved in controlling the airways and the mechanisms that underlie how this circuitry can become dysfu ....Dysfunction of the nervous system plays an important role in the symptoms of many respiratory diseases. For example, excessive non-productive coughing, elevated mucous secretion, reduced airway patency and hyperreactivity are all characteristic symptoms of diseases such as asthma and all involve over-activity of the nervous system. This research aims to understand the neural circuitry that is involved in controlling the airways and the mechanisms that underlie how this circuitry can become dysfunctional.Read moreRead less
Role Of Load Detection And Compensation In Pathogenesis Of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$340,867.00
Summary
This proposal will use novel techniques to explore how defective responses to the threat posed by a collapsing upper airway contribute to the Obstructive Sleep Apnea syndrome, a disease involving repetitive collapse of the upper airway in sleep. Responses to small increases in the resistance to inspiratory airflow will be examined by measuring the small electrcal responses in the brain to these loads, and the response of the muscles responsible for maintaining airway patency to the collapsing fo ....This proposal will use novel techniques to explore how defective responses to the threat posed by a collapsing upper airway contribute to the Obstructive Sleep Apnea syndrome, a disease involving repetitive collapse of the upper airway in sleep. Responses to small increases in the resistance to inspiratory airflow will be examined by measuring the small electrcal responses in the brain to these loads, and the response of the muscles responsible for maintaining airway patency to the collapsing forces induced by these loads, in both wakefulness and sleep. The brain's response to resistive loads will also be evaluated using the techique of functional magnetic resonance imaging, which demonstrates areas of the brain activated by a stimulus.Read moreRead less
The Role Of Arousal In The Pathogenesis Of Obstructive Sleep Apnea And Implications For Novel Therapeutic Treatments
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$297,888.00
Summary
This research forms part of a series of studies aimed at characterizing the relative importance of the various physiological causes (phenotypes) of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and has the potential to lead to individually tailored novel therapies according to these traits. Specifically, this proposed research will investigate the role of arousal from sleep (brief awakening) in OSA and explore methods of manipulating the arousal threshold as a new treatment approach for certain OSA patients.
THE BAROREFLEX IN SNORING AND THE OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNOEA HYPOPNOEA SYNDROME
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$436,261.00
Summary
The obstructive sleep apnoea hypopnoea syndrome (OSAHS) refers to a condition in which throat blockage occurs during sleep leading to breathing difficulties, including snoring and cessation of breathing for short periods of time. OSAHS is amongst the commonest of chronic disorders of adult males, occuring in 5% of men over the age of 45 years. It is now recognised that one of the major complications of OSAHS is the development of high blood pressure and heart disease. In the proposed studies, we ....The obstructive sleep apnoea hypopnoea syndrome (OSAHS) refers to a condition in which throat blockage occurs during sleep leading to breathing difficulties, including snoring and cessation of breathing for short periods of time. OSAHS is amongst the commonest of chronic disorders of adult males, occuring in 5% of men over the age of 45 years. It is now recognised that one of the major complications of OSAHS is the development of high blood pressure and heart disease. In the proposed studies, we will examine the proposal that snoring alone, without significant associated OSAHS, can also lead to high blood pressure in habitual snorers both awake and asleep. In particular, we will explore the hypothesis that chronic snoring transmits a pressure wave through the tissues of the neck to the carotid artery which is the main blood supply to the brain. We propose that the chronic vibration of this artery can alter pressure sensors in the artery wall, which then results in the persistance of high blood pressure. Our studies will help to prove that this is a mechanism whereby both snoring and OSAHS may contribute to the development of high blood pressure. The recognition of snoring as an independent risk factor for high blood pressure will clearly have important and wide ranging implications for the future management of snoring in the prevention of high blood pressure.Read moreRead less
I am a cardiorespiratory neuroscientist. My work aims to discover what determines central respiratory and sympathetic activity and how this controls breathing and the circulation in health and disease