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 Prof. Renata Pecotić 
 

In the Laboratory for Basic Neuroscience, notable work has been performed in the field of fundamental research of central regulation of respiratory and cardiovascular systems with an emphasis on underlying mechanisms of respiratory and sympathetic neuroplasticity induced by intermittent hypoxia or hypercapnia, which occur in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Basic research is conducted in an animal model (in vivo) and includes recording of phrenic and renal sympathetic nerve activity in anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats.

Projects
 

Lead researcher: prof. Zoran Đogaš
Funded by:  Croatian Science Foundation - HrZZ
Duration: 2014 - 2020 

 

Promjene disanja i simpatičke živčane aktivnosti prilikom ponavljanih hipoksija - uloga serotonina 

Lead researcher: prof. Maja Valić
Funded by  Croatian Science Foundation - HrZZ
Duration: 2012 - 2015 

Središnja regulacija kardiovaskularnog i respiracijskog sustava - uloga serotonina 

Lead researcher: prof. Maja Valić, MD
Funded by Ministry of Science and Education - MZOŠ 
Duration: 2008 - 2014 

Neuralna kontrola disanja u budnosti i spavanju 

Lead researcher: prof. Zoran Đogaš

Funded by Ministry of Science and Education - MZOŠ 
Duration: 2007 - 2014 

Središnja regulacija simpatoinhibicije i hipotenzije za vrijeme hemoragije 

Lead researcher: prof. Maja Valić, MD
Funded by Ministry of Science and Education - MZOŠ 
Duration: 2004 - 2007 

Neurotransmiteri u kontroli disanja

Team members
Prof Renata Pecotić, MD, PhD, head of laboratory [CV] 

Prof. Zoran Đogaš, MD, PhD, lead researcher  [CV]
Prof. Maja Valić, MD, PhD, associate [CV]
Assoc Prof Ivana Pavlinac Dodig, MD, PhD, associate [CV]
Katarina Madirazza, MBiol., PhD, postdoc [CV]
Doris Plaćaš, mag. biol., PhD candidate  [CV]
Jelena Baričević, Chem. tech., professional associate [CV] 
Foto album 

Future directions and aspirations:

The Laboratory for Basic Neuroscience aims to develop the chronic intermittent hypoxia/hypercapnia animal model that would allow replicating the long-term exposures to hypoxia/hypercapnia and would better represent the pathophysiological processes underlying OSA in patients. Such model would allow for assessing long-term neural changes and will be more suitable to induce and study oxidative stress changes. Oxidative stress evaluation will be performed through the assessment of protein modifications (eg. protein carbonylation), changes in proteasome activity and expression of inflammation markers, induced by acute and chronic exposures to intermittent hypoxia and/or hypercapnia.
 

Selected publications 

 

Područja istraživanja: acute intermittent hypoxia, acute intermittent hypercapnia, chronic intermittent hypoxia, chronic intermittent hypercapnia, respiratory activity, sympathetic activity, oxidative stress, inflammation markers, protein modifications, obstructive sleep apnea