Jeffrey Ardell
UCLA Health, Loyola University Medical Center, Michigan State University, University of Washington
Research areas: Medicine · Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine · Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control · Cardiac electrophysiology and arrhythmias · Vagus Nerve Stimulation Research
0000-0001-9241-0864
About
The cardiac nervous system, composed of the intracardiac ganglia, intrathoracic extracardiac ganglia, spinal cord, brainstem, and higher centers, coordinates regional cardiac function on a beat-to-beat basis. Globally, the cardiac nervous system is optimized to handle physiological stressors (e.g. orthostatic changes and exercise). However, it has not evolved a mechanism to adequately deal with catastrophic events such as myocardial infarction and the longer-term evolution of congestive heart failure. Imbalances within this neural network lead to excessive and stochastic activity, and underlie the mechanisms responsible in large part for arrhythmias and heart failure.
The UCLA Neurocardiology Research Program of Excellence was formed in July of 2014 when Dr. Ardell assumed the role of founding director. This program was developed based on the recognition that autonomic dysregulation is central to evolution of cardiac pathology. Its objective is to 1) mechanistically evaluate the dynamic interplay in heart/brain interactions, especially during the progression of cardiac disease; and 2) to develop innovative neuromodulation-focused approaches to modify input/output/processing function at different levels of the cardiac neuraxis that will ultimately lead to therapy that mitigates the evolution of specific cardiac diseases. Our work has demonstrated that targeting select elements within this neural network can lead to efficacious results in select cardiac disease states, including atrial arrhythmias, ventricular arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, and congestive heart failure. With appropriate neuromodulation therapy, myocytes are rendered stress resistance, autonomic responsiveness for control of the heart is preserved, and the potential for fatal arrhythmias is reduced.
Employment
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UCLA Health Co-director of UCLA Cardiac Arrhythmia Center and UCLA Neurocardiology Research Program
Education
- 1982 - 1984
- 1980 - 1982
- 1975 - 1980
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Colorado College B.A.1971 - 1975
Projects & Funding
Projects & funding information is unavailable.
Publications (13)
- Neuropeptide Y regulation of L-type Ca2+ channel activity is altered following chronic myocardial infarction Save
- Bioelectronic block of stellate ganglia mitigates pacing‐induced heterogeneous release of catecholamine and neuropeptide Y in the infarcted pig heart Save
- Comparative specialization of intrinsic cardiac neurons in humans, mice and pigs Save
- Towards spatially selective efferent neuromodulation: anatomical and functional organization of cardiac fibres in the porcine cervical vagus nerve Save
- Comparative specialization of intrinsic cardiac neurons in humans, mice, and pigs Save
- Anatomical and functional organization of cardiac fibers in the porcine cervical vagus nerve allows spatially selective efferent neuromodulation Save
- Myocardial infarction reduces cardiac nociceptive neurotransmission through the vagal ganglia Save
- Mechanism of ventricular premature beats elicited by left stellate ganglion stimulation during acute ischaemia of the anterior left ventricle Save
- Neuroscientific therapies for atrial fibrillation Save
- Cardiac sympathectomy and spinal cord stimulation attenuate reflex-mediated norepinephrine release during ischemia preventing ventricular fibrillation Save
- Electroceutical Targeting of the Autonomic Nervous System Save
- Defining the neural fulcrum for chronic vagus nerve stimulation: implications for integrated cardiac control Save
- Transcriptomic and neurochemical analysis of the stellate ganglia in mice highlights sex differences Save