How aging affects breathing control
Official title: Respiratory Control in Old Age
Funded at Mayo Clinic Rochester · NIH-11135475 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Testing treatments that protect the nerve cells that control breathing in older adults to reduce age-related respiratory weakness.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2013 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $602,958 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG044615-13 |
| Project ID | NIH-11135475 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Older adults with age-related breathing weakness or people at risk for respiratory decline from motor neuron loss (for example some patients with ALS) would be the most relevant candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Younger people without age-related motor neuron loss or people whose breathing problems have non-neuromuscular causes may not directly benefit from this work.
What this research studies
This work looks at why the nerve cells that drive the diaphragm (phrenic motor neurons) are lost or weakened with age. Researchers study how mitochondria (the cell's energy centers) and signals like BDNF/TrkB and TNFα change in these nerve cells using lab models and molecular techniques developed at Mayo Clinic. They will explore whether boosting protective pathways or blocking harmful inflammation (for example with compounds like quercetin or drugs like infliximab) helps preserve these breathing nerve cells. Results will be used to guide development of treatments to help older adults keep stronger breathing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to treatments that preserve breathing-related nerve cells and reduce respiratory problems in older adults.
How similar studies have gone: Prior lab studies support targeting BDNF signaling and mitochondrial health to protect neurons, but applying these approaches specifically to phrenic motor neurons in aging is fairly novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Rochester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sieck, Gary C. — Mayo Clinic Rochester
- Study coordinator: Sieck, Gary C.
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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.