How brain support cells shape daily blood pressure rhythms
The Role of Astrocytes in Circadian Control of Blood Pressure in the Nucleus of the Solitary Tract
This project looks at how astrocytes, a type of brain support cell, help control daily blood pressure patterns that may go awry in people with disrupted sleep schedules like shift workers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rowan University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Glassboro, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11290796 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This work focuses on astrocytes in a brain region called the nucleus of the solitary tract (nTS), which helps control blood pressure. Researchers will use laboratory experiments and animal models to mimic shift work and circadian misalignment and then measure how astrocyte function and glutamate transport affect nerve signals that set blood pressure across the day-night cycle. The team will study synapses in the nTS to see whether changes in astrocyte glutamate transporters alter blood pressure regulation. For people who work rotating shifts or have disrupted sleep, these findings could help explain why blood pressure and heart health worsen with circadian disruption.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who work rotating shifts or have chronic circadian disruption and elevated blood pressure or other cardiovascular risk factors would be the most relevant group for future human studies stemming from this work.
Not a fit: People with normal sleep schedules and well-controlled blood pressure are unlikely to see direct benefits from this specific research in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new biological targets to prevent or treat high blood pressure linked to shift work and circadian disruption.
How similar studies have performed: Previous human and animal studies connect circadian disruption to higher blood pressure, but targeting astrocytes in the nTS is a relatively new and mostly preclinical approach with limited prior testing.
Where this research is happening
Glassboro, United States
- Rowan University — Glassboro, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Martinez, Diana — Rowan University
- Study coordinator: Martinez, Diana
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 below.