How social stress affects heart and gut sensations and their role in health issues.
Official title: Blunted mechanosensation of the heart and gut as a mediator of pathogenesis conferred by chronic social subjugation
Funded at Georgia State University · NIH-11072917 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how ongoing social stress affects the way our bodies feel changes in the heart and gut, which could lead to issues like high blood pressure and anxiety, and it aims to help people understand how these stressors impact health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Georgia State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2025 |
| Project end | November 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $682,570 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AT013166-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11072917 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals experiencing high levels of social stress, particularly those from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds who may be at greater risk for cardiometabolic and affective disorders.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not experience significant social stress or those with unrelated health conditions may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how chronic social stress impacts the body's ability to sense changes in the heart and gut, which may lead to serious health problems like high blood pressure and anxiety. By studying mice that experience social defeat, researchers aim to understand the biological mechanisms behind these effects. The study focuses on specific neurons that help the body respond to physical sensations, and how their impairment can contribute to various disorders. Patients may benefit from insights gained about the relationship between social stress and health outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new strategies for preventing and treating heart and gut-related health issues linked to social stress.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that social stress can impact health, but this specific approach to understanding mechanosensation in relation to social hierarchy is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Georgia State University
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Krause, Eric Gerald — Georgia State University
- Study coordinator: Krause, Eric Gerald
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.