Dr. Amy Arnold’s laboratory works on understanding how the brain controls blood pressure and energy balance. Her studies focus on how angiotensin-(1-7), a beneficial hormone of the renin angiotensin system, interacts with the brain to improve blood pressure and insulin sensitivity in integrated cardiometabolic diseases such as obesity and hypertension. These studies use a variety of approaches in mice including whole animal in vivo cardiovascular monitoring (e.g. direct arterial blood pressure and radiotelemetry), pharmacologic and spectral analysis of autonomic function and measurement of insulin action (e.g. hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps, glucose and insulin tolerance testing) and energy balance (e.g. body composition and indirect calorimetry). She also has translational studies examining the effects of intravenous angiotensin-(1-7) infusion on blood pressure and flow, insulin sensitivity and energy balance in patients with obesity, hypertension and peripheral arterial disease. Specific projects ongoing in the laboratory include studying the ability of angiotensin-(1-7) to treat and prevent the development of diet-induced insulin resistance, the specific molecular mechanisms involved in these effects with a focus on adipose tissue and brain and potential gender differences.

In addition, her laboratory is interested in understanding mechanisms and optimal treatment strategies for patients with cardiovascular autonomic disorders including primary autonomic failure, Parkinson’s disease and postural tachycardia syndrome. Dr. Arnold has published several articles on therapeutic strategies to manage blood pressure and heart rate in these conditions. She has several ongoing studies including examining the profile and treatment of cognitive dysfunction in these conditions, with a focus on postural tachycardia syndrome.