Respiratory and neurovascular adaptation to physiological stress

心脏、循环系统、肺和胸壁都以高度协调的方式共同发挥作用。 孤立地研究每个系统可以提供有价值的信息，但研究这些系统如何共同作用可以更全面地了解人体生理学。 我的研究计划的目的是使用间歇性缺氧（第一部分）和呼吸肌工作（第二部分）来研究呼吸和心血管系统相互影响的机制。 第一部分. 间歇性低氧或反复低氧发作对呼吸和心血管系统的控制有独特的影响。 在第I部分中，将在暴露于每日暴露于缺氧两周（1小时）的人体中评估心血管调节的不同组成部分。 这对于我们理解血液中的低水平氧气如何影响多个生物系统非常重要。 间歇性缺氧模型是基于以前的NSERC工作。 第二部分. 膈肌和其他呼吸肌是独特的骨骼肌，因为它们必须每天24小时周期性收缩以维持生命。 在第二部分中，我将研究呼吸肌工作影响心脏血液分布的机制。 这是一种通常被低估的关系。 具体来说，呼吸有很大的“成本”，第二部分将确定影响因素。预计拟议研究的信息可应用于未来对健康人以及有呼吸道和心血管疾病风险的人的研究。

The heart, circulation, lungs, and chest wall all act together in a highly coordinated fashion.  Studying each system in isolation can provide valuable information but examining how these systems act together provides a more comprehensive understanding of human physiology.   The objective of my research program is to use intermittent hypoxia (Part I) and respiratory muscle work (Part II) to study the mechanisms by which the respiratory and cardiovascular systems influence each other.  PART I.  Intermittent hypoxia, or repeated episodes of low oxygen, has unique effects on the control of breathing and the cardiovascular system.  In Part I the different components of cardiovascular regulation will be assessed in humans following exposure to two weeks of daily exposure (1 hr) to hypoxia.  This is important to our understanding of how low levels of oxygen in the blood affect multiple biological systems.  The model of intermittent hypoxia is based on previous NSERC work.  PART II.  The diaphragm and other respiratory muscles are unique skeletal muscles in that they must cyclically contract for 24 h/day in order to sustain life.  In Part II, I will study the mechanisms by which respiratory muscle work affects the distribution of blood from the heart.  This is a relationship that has been typically underappreciated.  Specifically, there is a significant 'cost' to breathing and Part II will determine the contributing factors.It is anticipated that the information from the proposed studies can be applied to future studies of healthy humans and those at risk of respiratory and cardiovascular disease.