# Biobehavioral Studies of Cardiovascular Disease

> **NIH NIH P01** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2020 · $2,303,344

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Biobehavioral Studies of Cardiovascular Disease (PO1-HL040962)
This Program Project (P01) continuation application focuses on the human brain substrates of behavioral and
socio-environmental influences on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in midlife adults. Proposed are 3 Projects
that are conceptually cross-linked and supported by 3 Core Units. Collaborative investigators represent
multiple disciplines, including psychology, neuroscience, biophysics, medicine, psychoneuroimmunology,
epidemiology, machine learning, bioinformatics, and statistics. Project 1 aims to elucidate functional and
structural brain phenotypes that predict the multiyear progression of preclinical vascular disease and
dysfunction, with a focus on neural circuitries for visceral control that coordinate autonomic, neuroendocrine,
hemodynamic, and immune physiology with stress- and emotion-related behavioral processes. Project 2 aims
to establish whether functional characteristics of these visceral control circuits moderate the influences of
stress-related environmental exposures on the progression of preclinical vascular disease and dysfunction,
tracking individuals' behavior and cardiovascular physiology in daily life to test a novel neuro-diathesis model
of CVD risk. Project 2 also tests for the first time whether daily life physical activity associates with daily life
stress physiology through its effects neural circuits for visceral control. Project 3 aims extend those of the other
Projects by elucidating the neural and peripheral processes linking physical activity with physiological and
psychophysiological markers of CVD risk (including daily life affect and stress physiology) using an
experimental intervention methodology. These P01 aims are unique in cardiovascular behavioral medicine, and
they will be pursued in the context of multi-component data collection efforts that satisfy all project-specific
aims. As a result, the P01 will create new opportunities for integrative and translational science on the human
neurobiology of CVD risk that cuts across multiple methods and levels of analysis. Helping to advance its
parent field, the P01 will generate and disseminate original and expansive public-domain resources and tools to
the broader scientific and clinical communities through comprehensive data and software sharing and
educational objectives. Enabling a precise focus on early CVD etiology, the study cohorts comprise nearly 900
midlife adults without clinically apparent CVD, and study methods will include novel combinations of
neuroimaging, ecological momentary assessments of experienced environments, ambulatory hemodynamic
monitoring, autonomic, neuroendocrine, immune, and vascular assessments, laboratory clinical evaluations,
hetero-method health behavior assessments, and arterial imaging. The 3 Core Units of this P01 provide for
synergy and inter-project coordination by administrative, data management and participant accrual services;
measurement and inst...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9947972
- **Project number:** 5P01HL040962-23
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- **Principal Investigator:** Peter J Gianaros
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $2,303,344
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1997-04-01 → 2023-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9947972

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9947972, Biobehavioral Studies of Cardiovascular Disease (5P01HL040962-23). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9947972. Licensed CC0.

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