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The doctoral student at USP’s Medical School (FM), Indyanara Cristina Ribeiro, was one of the winners of the Early Career Physiologist Award, an award granted to ten early-career researchers who stood out for the scientific excellence and potential impact of their studies. The recognition was presented during the American Physiology Summit, the main international event in the areas of human physiology and biological sciences, held at the end of April in Baltimore, United States.
During the congress, promoted by the American Physiological Society (APS), the doctoral student presented the preliminary data of her work entitled Carotid chemoreflex inhibition improves neural cardiovascular control in women with rheumatoid arthritis, developed under the guidance of Hamilton Roschel and co-supervision of Tiago Peçanha, professors of USP’s Medical School and members of the Center for Lifestyle Medicine.
The study investigates the contribution of the peripheral chemoreflex to cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction observed in women with rheumatoid arthritis. “The research aims to clarify one of the pathophysiological mechanisms that may be associated with higher cardiovascular risk in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, something still poorly understood in the literature”, explains Indyanara, who is a researcher at the Medical School’s Rheumatology Evaluation and Conditioning Laboratory (Lacre).
In addition to receiving the award, the researcher was also nominated for the Neural Control & Autonomic Regulation Award, which honors the best abstract in the field of neural control and autonomic regulation. “Being recognized at an event of this magnitude is incredibly meaningful, especially as it brings together the world’s leading experts in the field. I was deeply honored to represent the Medical School and to have my work selected among the best,” she said.
Regulation of the cardiovascular system
The doctoral student’s research explored how rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic inflammatory disease, impacts the nervous system’s regulation of heart function and blood pressure. Individuals with the condition often experience greater blood pressure instability and reduced efficiency in cardiovascular control mechanisms. One possible explanation involves the heightened activity of carotid chemoreceptors, sensors located in the neck that respond to blood oxygen levels. The study hypothesized that if this activity is indeed increased in rheumatoid arthritis patients, it may be possible to improve cardiovascular regulation by reducing chemoreceptor activity through the administration of pure oxygen (hyperoxia).
The study, conducted on women with rheumatoid arthritis, showed that oxygenation improved blood pressure control and the response of the nervous system. This suggests that these sensors are more active in those who have the disease and that controlling them can help protect the heart. The researchers recommend further studies to understand whether inflammation in these sensors is the cause of the problem and whether it is possible to create specific treatments.
Text adapted from the Press and Communication Office at USP’s Medical School
English version: Nexus Traduções, edited by Denis Pacheco
