How brain signals link obesity to high blood pressure
Official title: Neuronal Mechanisms of Obesity-Induced Hypertension
Funded at Iowa City VA Medical Center · NIH-11264640 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Looking at how brain signals in people with obesity cause high blood pressure to help find better ways to lower it.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Iowa City VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Iowa City, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2019 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX004249-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11264640 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with obesity and high blood pressure, particularly veterans receiving care at the VA, would be the most relevant group for this line of research.
✕Less likely to help
People without obesity-related hypertension, children, or anyone seeking immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to get direct benefit from this preclinical work.
What this research studies
This project looks at brain pathways that make nerve signals rise and push blood pressure up in obesity. The team uses laboratory models and genetic tools to turn off specific brain signaling pathways (like mTORC1 in leptin-responsive neurons) and searches for molecules such as SerpinA3N that drive the effect. Much of the work is done in controlled lab models to map the cellular and molecular steps that lead to sympathetic overactivity and hypertension. Findings are intended to point to targets that could eventually lead to new treatments for obesity-related high blood pressure.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could identify new drug targets in the brain that lower obesity-related high blood pressure without requiring weight loss.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal studies have shown leptin and melanocortin brain pathways can raise sympathetic activity, and the mTORC1/SerpinA3N link is a newer, early-stage finding.
Where this research is happening
-
Iowa City VA Medical Center
Iowa City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rahmouni, Kamal — Iowa City VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Rahmouni, Kamal
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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How the hormone FGF21 in the brain may cause high blood pressure in obesity
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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.