Respiratory control in aging: keeping breathing muscles healthy
Official title: Respiratory Control in Old Age
Funded at Mayo Clinic Rochester · NIH-11384755 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A Mayo Clinic team is testing ways to protect the breathing muscles in people as they age, aiming to keep seniors breathing well longer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| 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 | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,230,527 |
| NIH project number | 4RF1AG044615-14 |
| Project ID | NIH-11384755 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults aged 65 and older who may be at risk for age-related respiratory muscle weakness or who have conditions affecting breathing.
✕Less likely to help
Some participants may not experience direct breathing benefits if their condition or biology does not respond to the proposed interventions.
What this research studies
This project focuses on how aging affects the phrenic motor neurons that control the diaphragm and breathing. The researchers will explore how aging-related changes in BDNF/TrkB signaling, pCREB activation, and mitochondrial function influence neuron survival, and how inflammatory signals like TNF-alpha may worsen stress in these cells. They plan to use advanced techniques already established in their lab to test potential therapies that boost protective signaling or reduce harmful ER stress, with an eye toward translating findings into treatments that support breathing in older adults. The study may involve analyses of human tissue or data, and could lead to new therapeutic strategies such as agents that modulate BDNF/TrkB or TNF-alpha pathways. Overall, the work seeks to extend healthy breathing capacity in an aging population by targeting specific cellular pathways in phrenic motor neurons.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to therapies that help older adults keep strong breathing muscles and reduce respiratory complications.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown age-related changes in motor neuron biology; this project builds on that with novel targets and validated methods, offering potential new avenues.
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.
Related research
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This project looks at how our natural defenses, called B1 cells, stay strong or weaken as we get older, especially noticing differences between men and women.
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How aging affects breathing control
Testing treatments that protect the nerve cells that control breathing in older adults to reduce age-related respiratory weakness.
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.