The brain at high-altitude

Understanding how the brain defends oxygen and glucose delivery clinically important given that many brain disorders, such as stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and associated dementias are characterised by impaired cerebral bioenergetic function.

Professor Damian Bailey and Dr Benjamin Stacey of the Neurovascular Research Laboratory are currently investigating the molecular mechanisms that underpin the regulation of cerebrovascular (brain) function during exposure to low oxygen levels (hypoxia) in both lowlander and natives born and bred at high-altitude. This research has helped improve our understanding of maladaptive high-altitude illnesses such as acute mountain sickness, high-altitude pulmonary oedema, and high-altitude cerebral oedema in native lowlanders sojourning to high-altitude in addition to the maladaptive syndrome – chronic mountain sickness5,6 seen in high-altitude natives. More recently, this research has also identified a neuroprotective phenotype in healthy native highlanders, that may help underpin their successful adaptation to the lifelong stress of high-altitude hypoxia.

This project involves close collaboration with The Physiological Society for dissemination and policy impact and AD Instruments to support physiological data acquisition.