Center for Cardiovascular and Muscular Diseases CCMD
Distinguished Cardiovascular and Muscular Diseases Seminar Series
Speaker
Vineet Augustine, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology
UC San Diego
Seminar Abstract: Dr. Vineet Augustine will present recent discoveries uncovering neural circuits that connect the heart, brain, and immune system in cardiovascular disease. The talk will highlight the first genetically defined model of neurocardiogenic syncope and the neural basis of the Bezold–Jarisch reflex (BJR), revealing how specialized cardiac vagal sensory neurons can trigger rapid cardiovascular collapse and transient loss of consciousness. In addition, the presentation will discuss emerging work demonstrating a heart–brain–immune circuit underlying myocardial infarction, reframing heart attack as not only a cardiac event but also a neuroimmune disorder. Together, these studies establish the heart as a sensory organ that actively communicates with the brain to shape physiology, inflammation, and behavior.