Projects per year
Personal profile
Research Interests
Sex hormone influences on brain and behavior across lifespan
Neuroplasticity cell signaling pathways in healthy and disease states
URL
Area of Expertise
The Cunningham lab is focused on the neurobiology of steroid hormones, neuropeptides, and oxidative stress mediated mechanisms in order to examine sex differences in neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease). We are one of the first laboratories to examine how oxidative stress alters the functional outcomes of steroid hormones, such as androgens and estrogens. We found that androgens has both neuroprotective qualities and neurotoxic properties. Androgens can decrease oxidative stress if present prior to a stress. In contrast, once oxidative stress reaches a threshold, androgens can exacerbate oxidative stress generation and neuronal vulnerability (e.g., inflammation, memory impairments, and motor dysfunction). We were the first to discover the presence of a neuronal androgen receptor splice variant (AR45) complexed to NADPH oxidase (NOX), which is localized to lipid rafts in the plasma membrane and mediates androgen induced oxidative stress signaling pathways in the central nervous system. Our overall research goal has been centered on identification and knowledge of pathways modulated by sex chromosome or steroid hormones that can lead to improved health outcomes by providing a foundation for targeted therapeutic strategies and interventions.
Techniques
in vitro cell culture (neurons, astrocytes), western blots, subcellular fractionation (membranes, lipid rafts in membranes, cytosol, nucleus), rtPCR, microscopy (immunohistochemistry, live cell imaging), colorimetric assays, ELISAs, multiplex ELISAs (e.g., inflammation, hormones, etc in plasma/serum and tissue), Alzet pump (subcutaneous, ventricle, brain region), telemetry implantation, microdissection of discrete brain regions, estrous cycle determination, animal surgeries (gonadectomies, stereotaxic surgeries, telemetry), rat behaviors (e.g., memory, motor, vocalizations, social, anxiety, compulsivity, reproductive, preference).
Education/Academic qualification
BS in Psychology, Truman State University
Postdoctoral Training in Pharmacology, UT Health Science Center San Antonio
PhD in Neurobiology, University of Texas at San Antonio
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Projects
- 20 Finished
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Neural Regulation of Vasopresson Release in a model of Dilutaional Hyponatremia
Cunningham, T. & Cunningham, R.
NHLBI: Nat Heart, Lung & Blood Institute
15/04/18 → 31/03/22
Project: Research
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Brain Region Specific Neurodegeneration in Chronic Intermittent Hypoxia (For: Lincoln Downs)
15/10/15 → 15/02/16
Project: Research
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Pilot study on the risks of testosterone replacement to the brain
Schreihofer, D. & Cunningham, R.
15/08/15 → 31/05/16
Project: Research
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Pilot study on the risks of testosterone replacement to the brain
Cunningham, R. & Schreihofer, D.
15/08/15 → 31/05/18
Project: Research
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Factors influencing aggression toward females by male rats exposed to anabolic androgenic steroids during puberty
Cunningham, R. L. & McGinnis, M. Y., Jan 2007, In: Hormones and Behavior. 51, 1, p. 135-141 7 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Androgens modulate chronic intermittent hypoxia effects on brain and behavior
Snyder, B., Duong, P., Trieu, J. & Cunningham, R. L., Nov 2018, In: Hormones and Behavior. 106, p. 62-73 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Central inflammatory response to experimental stroke is inhibited by a neuroprotective dose of dietary soy
Shambayati, M., Patel, M., Ma, Y., Cunningham, R. L. & Schreihofer, D. A., 17 Dec 2014, In: Brain Research. 1593, p. 76-82 7 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Effect of acute heat exposure on the pressor response to a voluntary hypoxic apnea
Hemingway, H. W., Richey, R. E., Moore, A. M., Saul, B. M., Shokraeifard, A. M., Cope, H. L., Olivencia-Yurvati, A. H., Cunningham, R. L., Smith, M. L. & Romero, S. A., 1 Sep 2023, In: Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985). 135, 3, p. 542-548 7 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Presence of androgen receptor variant in neuronal lipid rafts
Garza-Contreras, J., Duong, P., Snyder, B. D., Schreihofer, D. A. & Cunningham, R. L., 1 Jul 2017, In: eNeuro. 4, 4, e0109-17.2017.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review