Respiratory Physiology and Neuroplasticity Laboratory

The primary mission of the Respiratory Physiology and Neuroplasticity Laboratory is to define how sex hormones (e.g. estrogen, testosterone, etc…) influence respiratory function and the development of respiratory neuroplasticity. Research strategies include behavioral measures of respiratory function, neurophysiological measures of respiratory nerve and muscle output, and cellular and molecular biochemistry. Using a multimodal approach, our studies address fundamental scientific questions from multiple physiological levels. 

Publications

2024

Miller S Jr, Lopez EJ, Grittner JML, Dougherty BJ. Low level CO2 supplementation maintains isocapnia and reveals ventilatory long-term facilitation in rats. Respir Physiol Neurobiol. 2024 Feb;320:104185. doi: 10.1016/j.resp.2023.104185. Epub 2023 Nov 5. PMID: 37935342; PMCID: PMC10842720

2022

Miller S Jr, Abrahante JE, Roopra A, Dougherty BJ. A transcriptome dataset for gonadectomy-induced changes in rat spinal cord. Sci Data. 2022 Dec 29;9(1):789. PMID: 36581616; PMCID: PMC9800375.  doi: 10.1038/s41597-022-01917-y.

2021

Barok R, Grittner JML, Dougherty BJ. The long-term impact of ovariectomy on ventilation and expression of phrenic long-term facilitation in female rats. Exp Physiol. 2021 Sep;106(9):2002-2012. Epub 2021 Jul 16. PMID: 34180081; PMCID: PMC8410681. doi: 10.1113/EP089546.  

Vang P, Baumann CW, Barok R, Larson AA, Dougherty BJ, Lowe DA. Impact of estrogen deficiency on diaphragm and leg muscle contractile function in female mdx mice. PLoS One. 2021 Mar 31;16(3):e0249472. PMID: 33788896; PMCID: PMC8011782. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249472.

2019

McIntosh, D., & Dougherty, B. J. (2019). Development of ventilatory long-term facilitation is dependent on estrous cycle stage in adult female rats. Respiratory physiology & neurobiology, 264, 1-7. PMID: 30898577 doi: 10.1016/j.resp.2019.02.006

2018

Huxtable, A. G., Kopp, E., Dougherty, B. J., Watters, J. J., & Mitchell, G. S. (2018). Cyclooxygenase enzyme activity does not impair respiratory motor plasticity after one night of intermittent hypoxia. Respiratory physiology & neurobiology, 256, 21-28. PMID: 29233741 doi: 10.1016/j.resp.2017.12.004

Dougherty, B. J., Terada, J., Springborn, S. R., Vinit, S., MacFarlane, P. M., & Mitchell, G. S. (2018). Daily acute intermittent hypoxia improves breathing function with acute and chronic spinal injury via distinct mechanisms. Respiratory physiology & neurobiology, 256, 50-57. PMID: 28549897 doi: 10.1016/j.resp.2017.05.004

2017

Dougherty, B. J., Kopp, E. S., & Watters, J. J. (2017). Nongenomic Actions of 17-β Estradiol Restore Respiratory Neuroplasticity in Young Ovariectomized Female Rats. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 37(28), 6648-6660. PMID: 28592693 doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0433-17.2017

Navarrete-Opazo, A., Dougherty, B. J., & Mitchell, G. S. (2017). Enhanced recovery of breathing capacity from combined adenosine 2A receptor inhibition and daily acute intermittent hypoxia after chronic cervical spinal injury. Experimental neurology, 287(Pt 2), 93-101. PMID: 27079999 doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2016.03.026

2016

Dougherty, B. J., Gonzalez-Rothi, E. J., Lee, K. Z., Ross, H. H., Reier, P. J., & Fuller, D. D. (2016). Respiratory outcomes after mid-cervical transplantation of embryonic medullary cells in rats with cervical spinal cord injury. Experimental neurology, 278, 22-6. PMID: 26808660 doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2016.01.017

2015

Dougherty, B. J., Fields, D. P., & Mitchell, G. S. (2015). Mammalian target of rapamycin is required for phrenic long-term facilitation following severe but not moderate acute intermittent hypoxia. Journal of neurophysiology, 114(3), 1784-91. PMID: 26224775 doi: 10.1152/jn.00539.2015

Navarrete-Opazo, A., Vinit, S., Dougherty, B. J., & Mitchell, G. S. (2015). Daily acute intermittent hypoxia elicits functional recovery of diaphragm and inspiratory intercostal muscle activity after acute cervical spinal injury. Experimental neurology, 266, 1-10. PMID: 25687551 doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2015.02.007

Lee, K. Z., Sandhu, M. S., Dougherty, B. J., Reier, P. J., & Fuller, D. D. (2015). Hypoxia triggers short term potentiation of phrenic motoneuron discharge after chronic cervical spinal cord injury. Experimental neurology, 263, 314-24. PMID: 25448009 doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2014.10.002

2014

Gill, L. C., Ross, H. H., Lee, K. Z., Gonzalez-Rothi, E. J., Dougherty, B. J., Judge, A. R., & Fuller, D. D. (2014). Rapid diaphragm atrophy following cervical spinal cord hemisection. Respiratory physiology & neurobiology, 192, 66-73. PMID: 24341999 doi: 10.1016/j.resp.2013.12.006

Lee, K. Z., Lane, M. A., Dougherty, B. J., Mercier, L. M., Sandhu, M. S., Sanchez, J. C., Reier, P. J., & Fuller, D. D. (2014). Intraspinal transplantation and modulation of donor neuron electrophysiological activity. Experimental neurology, 251, 47-57. PMID: 24192152 doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2013.10.016

2013

Lee, K. Z., Dougherty, B. J., Sandhu, M. S., Lane, M. A., Reier, P. J., & Fuller, D. D. (2013). Phrenic motoneuron discharge patterns following chronic cervical spinal cord injury. Experimental neurology, 249, 20-32. PMID: 23954215 doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2013.08.003

2012

Dougherty, B. J., Lee, K. Z., Gonzalez-Rothi, E. J., Lane, M. A., Reier, P. J., & Fuller, D. D. (2012). Recovery of inspiratory intercostal muscle activity following high cervical hemisection. Respiratory physiology & neurobiology, 183(3), 186-92. PMID: 22705013 doi: 10.1016/j.resp.2012.06.006

Dougherty, B. J., Lee, K. Z., Lane, M. A., Reier, P. J., & Fuller, D. D. (2012). Contribution of the spontaneous crossed-phrenic phenomenon to inspiratory tidal volume in spontaneously breathing rats. Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 112(1), 96-105. PMID: 22033536 doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00690.2011

2010

Lee, K. Z., Sandhu, M. S., Dougherty, B. J., Reier, P. J., & Fuller, D. D. (2010). Influence of vagal afferents on supraspinal and spinal respiratory activity following cervical spinal cord injury in rats. Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 109(2), 377-87. PMID: 20507963 doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.01429.2009

2009

Fuller, D. D., Dougherty, B. J., Sandhu, M. S., Doperalski, N. J., Reynolds, C. R., & Hayward, L. F. (2009). Prenatal nicotine exposure alters respiratory long-term facilitation in neonatal rats. Respiratory physiology & neurobiology, 169(3), 333-7. PMID: 19818419 doi: 10.1016/j.resp.2009.09.015

Sandhu, M. S., Dougherty, B. J., Lane, M. A., Bolser, D. C., Kirkwood, P. A., Reier, P. J., & Fuller, D. D. (2009). Respiratory recovery following high cervical hemisection. Respiratory physiology & neurobiology, 169(2), 94-101. PMID: 19560562 doi: 10.1016/j.resp.2009.06.014

2008

Fuller, D. D., Doperalski, N. J., Dougherty, B. J., Sandhu, M. S., Bolser, D. C., & Reier, P. J. (2008). Modest spontaneous recovery of ventilation following chronic high cervical hemisection in rats. Experimental neurology, 211(1), 97-106. PMID: 18308305 doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2008.01.013

Funding

External Sources

R01 HL146477 - Estrogen Receptor Signaling in the Expression of Respiratory Motor Plasticity
Sponsor: NIH - National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Timeline: Jan 2021 – Dec 2025
Role: Principal Investigator

Testosterone supplementation to improve respiratory recovery after cervical spinal cord injury
Sponsor: Paralyzed Veterans of America
Timeline: January 2024 - December 2025
Role: Primary Investigator

 

Director

Brendan Dougherty, PT, PhD
Principal Investigator

Contact

Dr. Brendan Dougherty
bdougher@umn.edu
612-624-7466

Research Team Members

Rebecca Barok, MS
Rehabilitation Science Graduate Student

Jessica Grittner, MS, CCC-SLP
Rehabilitation Science Graduate Student

Azaline Dunlap-Smith, BS
DPT/PhD Dual Degree Graduate Student 

Shawn Miller Jr.
Research Assistant