2096 Kansas Life Sciences Innovations Center
3901 Rainbow Blvd.
Kansas City, KS 66160
Phone: 913-588-7416
Fax: 913-588-5677
ssmittkamp@kumc.edu
The areas of neurodegenerative disease and aging
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive degenerative disease affecting upper and lower motor neurons. Symptom onset may occur in the muscles of the limbs (spinal onset) or those of the head and neck (bulbar onset). Bulbar involvement is particularly important in ALS as it is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The progressive weakening and atrophy of the masticatory muscles and tongue underlie the deficits in speech, chewing, and swallowing that give rise to social isolation and difficulties with feeding and aspiration.
Although it is believed that the effects in muscle occur secondary to motor neuron degeneration in ALS, some of the earliest signs of disease are found in the muscle. The primary focus of my research is evaluation of neuromuscular deficits in preclinical animal models of ALS. In particular, we are interested in orolingual motor deficits, an area that has been largely untouched in preclinical ALS research. We use clinically-analogous operant behavioral techniques to evaluate orolingual motor function and standard behavioral techniques to evaluate motor deficits in the fore- and hindlimbs. Muscles are evaluated for changes in neuromuscular junction integrity, mitochondrial function, and heat shock protein induction, as well as other measures. Similar measures are also evaluated in brainstem motor neurons.
I am also involved in projects evaluating motor deficits in preclinical animal models of normal aging.
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The University of Kansas Medical Center