Kevin J. Cummings, PhD

Research interests

• The development and function of respiratory, cardiovascular and thermoregulatory control systems

Research summary

Our research program investigates key neural circuits in the brainstem and forebrain that regulate the control of breathing and the sympathetic regulation of cardiovascular function in health and disease. We are specifically interested in how serotonin and orexin neurons regulate blood pressure, both in normal conditions and in response to chronic hypoxia as experienced in sleep apnea. We are also interested in how female sex hormones interact with serotonergic and orexinergic neuromodulation to confer protection to women with respect to cardiovascular disease.

Lab staff

• Ela Zadeh, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Maggie Tu-Wood, DVM, Comparative Medicine Resident and MS student
• Mahsa Saheb, MS, PhD student

Select publications

• Ben Musa, R., Cornelius-Green, J., Zang, Hua, Li, De-Pei, Kline, D.D., Hasser, E.M., and Cummings, K.J. 2024. Orexin facilitates the peripheral chemoreflex via corticotropin releasing hormone neurons projecting to the nucleus of the solitary tract. J Neurosci 44:e2383232024. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2383-23.2024 PMID: 38789262
• Ben Musa, R., Cornelius-Green, J., Hasser, E.M., and Cummings, K.J. 2023. The effect of orexin on the hypoxic ventilatory response of female rats is greatest in the active phase during diestrus. J Appl Physiol 134:638-648. PMID: 36656978
• Spinieli, R. Cornelius-Green, J., and Cummings, K.J. 2022. A serotonin-deficient rat model of neurogenic hypertension: influence of sex and sympathetic vascular tone. J Neurophysiol 128: 1119-1206.PMID: 36169206
• Spinieli, R., Ben Musa, R., Cornelius-Green, J., Hasser, E.M, and Cummings, K.J. 2022. Orexin facilitates the ventilatory and behavioral responses of rats to hypoxia. Am J Physiol Regul Integr and Comp Physiol 322: 581-596. PMID: 35380477 PMCID: PMC9109809
• Spinieli, R., Ben Musa, R., Kielhofner, J.K., Cornelius-Green, J. and Cummings, K.J. 2021. Orexin contributed to eupnea within a critical period of postnatal development. Am J Physiol Regul Integr and Comp Physiol 321: 558-571. PMID: 34405704 PMCID: PMC8560369