Brainstem autonomic centers and their control of nerves to muscles in age-related muscle loss
Official title: Role of Central Autonomic Relays in Aging Sarcopenia
Funded at Wake Forest University Health Sciences · NIH-11251637 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research looks at whether changes in brain autonomic centers and the sympathetic nerves that talk to muscles contribute to muscle loss and weakness in older adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wake Forest University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Winston-Salem, United States) |
| Project start | February 15, 2022 |
| Project end | January 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $581,796 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG071545-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11251637 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Older adults experiencing age-related muscle loss or weakness, and people with neurodegenerative conditions that cause impaired autonomic or motor function, would be the most relevant group for this work.
✕Less likely to help
People whose muscle loss is primarily caused by acute injury, disuse without autonomic involvement, or purely metabolic causes may not directly benefit from these specific findings.
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, the team is studying how a brainstem region (the pontine A5 nucleus) and the sympathetic nervous system help keep muscle fibers and the nerve-muscle connection healthy as we age. They use laboratory models to change activity in these central autonomic relays and in peripheral sympathetic nerves, and then measure muscle mass, strength, nerve connections at the neuromuscular junction, and molecular signals like adrenergic receptors and calcium channels. The researchers combine genetic tools, drugs that mimic or block sympathetic signaling, and cellular and physiological measurements to see which pathways fail with aging. The goal is to pinpoint specific nerve and molecular changes that could be targeted to prevent or slow sarcopenia.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to preserve muscle mass and strength in older adults by targeting autonomic nerve signaling.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal studies have shown that sympathetic nerves influence neuromuscular junctions and that this effect declines with age, but translating these findings into human treatments remains largely untested.
Where this research is happening
-
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston-Salem, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Delbono, Osvaldo — Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Delbono, Osvaldo
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.