Neuro-Cardiovascular Instability
The Neuro-Cardiovascular Instability (NCVI) Working Group examines the interplay between the health of the cardiovascular system, its autonomic neural regulatory systems, and the brain. The group takes a multidisciplinary approach blending skills of STEM, medical, and social scientists.
The concept of NCVI refers to abnormal neural control of the cardiovascular system, which affects the dynamic behaviour of this system. Older individuals are more prone to NCVI due to age-related physiological changes in the cardiovascular system, cerebral blood flow, autonomic nervous system, and humoral system. NCVI increases the risk of negative health outcomes, such as syncope, falls, cognitive impairment and dementia, depression, and frailty, through associated alterations in cerebral blood flow, potentially deriving from impaired cardiovascular control. The brain is highly metabolically active, and precise regulation of cerebral blood flow is essential for maintaining a reliable and adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients to the brain.
The ultimate aim of the group is to provide insights into the workings of these neuro-cardiovascular systems, how they are altered with ageing, and how this affects health outcomes.
TILDA's Neuro-Cardiovascular Instability Working Group is currently chaired by Ms Louise Newman (louise.newman@tcd.ie).
TILDA Researchers
Ms Louise Newman
Louise Newman is a biomedical engineer and research assistant with TILDA. She focuses on the processing and analysis of biomedical signals, and the development of algorithms for large-scale data analysis.
TILDA Researchers
Dr Silvin Knight
Dr Silvin Knight is a Research Fellow with TILDA, currently working within the FRAILMATICS research program.
His current research interests include quantitative modelling of cardiovascular and neurovascular haemodynamics and autoregulation, as well as developing machine learning and data-driven approaches for the analysis of these vascular networks.
TILDA Researchers
Dr Belinda Hernández
Dr. Belinda Hernández is a Senior Research Fellow with TILDA.
Her research interests include Bayesian models and machine learning methods for use on high dimensional data such as proteomic and genomic data as well as multivariate and predictive modelling. She works across a number of teams in TILDA such as the Neuro Cognitive, Neuro Cardiovascular, Frailty and Resilience and the Bioengineering groups.
TILDA Researchers
Ms Morgana Afonso Shirsath
Morgana Afonso Shirsath is a Biomedical Engineer at TILDA.
Morgana is currently completing a PhD in the Technological University of Dublin, where her research investigates the rupture of bone cells (osteocytes) due to fatigue, which is considered a trigger of bone remodelling targeted to damaged regions.