Research

Life expectancy following traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) has not improved in nearly 40 years. This is in part due to individuals with SCI living with multiple co-morbidities that reduce quality of life. Notably, mortality rates for metabolic diseases are increasing in the SCI population. Our lab investigates the development of metabolic dysfunction after SCI. We have previously shown SCI causes a novel form of fatty liver disease called neurogenic non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (nNASH) and the development of metabolic syndrome (MetS). The goal of my research is to determine mechanisms of nNASH and MetS development after SCI and therapeutic strategies to improve the health and lifespan of SCI individuals.

Publications

Goodus MT, Carson KE, Sauerbeck AD, Dey P, Alfredo AN, Popovich PG, Bruno RS, McTigue DM. (2021) Liver inflammation at the time of spinal cord injury enhances intraspinal pathology, liver injury, metabolic syndrome and locomotor deficits. Exp Neurol. 342:113725.

Sauerbeck AD, Goldstein EZ, Alfredo AN, Norenberg M, Marcillo A, McTigue DM. (2021) Alpha-synuclein increases in rodent and human spinal cord injury and promotes inflammation and tissue loss. Sci Rep. 11(1):11720.