Research interests
Diabetes and the intersection with neurodegenerative diseases.
The mechanisms through which diabetes increases the risk of dementia and AD are still a matter of intense debate; and include insulin resistance, impairment in CNS insulin signalling, glucose toxicity, systemic or local oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines, formation of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) and mediation of their pathological cellular responses via AGE receptors. Both AD and type 2 diabetes are chronic conditions that usually cannot be cured; hence a better understanding of how these mechanisms interact is prudent and necessary for advancement of AD and diabetes prevention strategies.
Our research has two focuses; one is to ascertain the contribution of hyperglycemia, abnormally conformed proteins and aberrant oxidant pathways to disease progression and the other is to understand how functional deficits in non-neuronal cells may underpin dysfunction and neurodegeneration.
Research projects
Astrocytes and Aβ metabolism
Specifically examine the impact of monomeric, oligomeric and fibrillar Aβ on primary cultures of astrocytes from different brain areas, animal age, and at different culture times which may provide novel insights into the roles of astrocytes in Aβ metabolism.
Effects of hyperglycemia on macrophage gene and protein expression
Determine whether hyperglycemia and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) mediates alteration of macrophage gene expression in the context of cognitive neurodegenerative diseases.
Research group
Biomedical Sciences
Affiliate research groups
Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, Southampton Neuroscience Group (SoNG), Institute for Life Sciences (IfLS)
Dr Ayodeji A AsuniFaculty of Medicine University of Southampton Southampton General Hospital Mailpoint 801 South Academic Block Tremona Road Southampton SO16 6YD
