Cardiorespiratory Research

Contact: smoosavi@brookes.ac.uk +44 (0)1865 483257

About us

Our work explores functional interactions between the brain, lungs and the heart with particular focus on neurophysiological mechanisms underpinning the perception of breathlessness ('dyspnoea'). The aim of the research is to find out how breathlessness ('dysponea') arises so that more effective drugs can be developed to relieve dysponea when the underlying disease can't be cured.

We study healthy individuals in whom we can experimentally induce various forms of breathlessness, and clinical populations in collaboration with Cardiology, Respiratory Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience at Oxford University Hospitals.

The group has a three-pronged research strategy:

To study patients undergoing neurological interventions or suffering neurological damage in order to better understand neurophysiological mechanisms of breathlessness.
To use the improved understanding of neurophysiological mechanisms of breathlessness to identify and trial new pharmacological interventions for intractable breathlessness.
To address emerging concerns in clinical physiology, particularly those that have the potential to stretch the NHS to breaking point.

Dr Moosavi with a study participant

Part of

Related courses

Medical Science (BSc (Hons))

Research impact

Working Towards Better Symptom Management

Improving our understanding of the breathlessness neural network in the brain will lead to better management of intractable breathlessness in patients with chronic conditions.

The Development of the Dyspnea-12 Measure

Dr. Moosavi was part of the team that developed the Dyspnea-12, a gold standard tool used worldwide to assess the severity and bothersomeness of breathlessness in clinical practice.

The Impact of Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation (STN DBS) on Breathlessness

Many patients develop breathlessness after undergoing subthalamic nucleus Deep Brain Surgery, especially when the electrodes are switched on. Pioneering research by the group has identified that stimulating specific brain areas, such as the subthalamic nucleus and thalamus, can increase or decrease breathlessness.

Discovery of Insensitivity to Breathlessness Post-Surgery

The research group was the first to discover that some DBS patients lose the ability to feel changes in their breathlessness after surgery, leaving them unaware if their condition worsens. Dr. Moosavi advocates for routine breathing and breathlessness tests for patients with neurological conditions or those undergoing DBS surgery. These checks are crucial to identify those who have become insensitive to breathlessness (such as Thalamic DBS patients) and ensure proper monitoring to prevent health deterioration. Without the breathlessness warning, a patient may unknowingly allow a virus or chest infection to worsen, complicating treatment.

Special Collection and International Conference

The group was invited by Frontiers in Neuroscience to guest-edit a special collection of articles on Respiratory control and dysfunction in neurological patients. Additionally, they co-hosted the 6th International Dyspnea Conference in July 2022 with colleagues from Oxford and Cambridge.

Find out more about breathlessness research in the Dyspnea podcast series.

Leadership

Dr Shakeeb Moosavi

Reader in Clinical Physiology

View profile

Publications

2025 - 2024

Chapman TP, Divanbeighi Zand AP, Debrah E, Petric B, Farrell SM, FitzGerald JJ, Moosavi SH, Green AL, "Deep brain stimulation of the motor thalamus relieves experimentally induced air hunger," European Respiratory Journal 64 (6) (2024).
Chapman TP, Farrell SM, Plaha P, Green AL, Moosavi SH, "Blunted perception of breathlessness in three cases of low grade insular-glioma," Frontiers in Neuroscience 18 (2024).

2023 - 2022

Horne CE, Stayt LC, Schutz S, Smith CM, Haberstroh A, Bolin LP, Taylor CL, Moosavi SH, Bibbey A, "Symptom Experiences in Hypertension: A Mixed Methods Systematic Review," Journal of Hypertension 41 (1) (2023).
Rhys GH, Wakeling T, Moosavi SH, Moore JP, Dawes H, Knight M, Inada-Kim M, Christensen EF, Subbe CP, "Feasibility and accuracy of the 40-steps desaturation test to determine outcomes in a cohort of patients presenting to hospital with and without COVID-19," Clinical Medicine 22 (3) (2022).

2021 - 2019

Holton P, Huang Y, Bahuri NFA, Boccard S, Hyam JA, Paterson DJ, Dorrington KL, Aziz TZ, Moosavi SH, Green AL, "Differential responses to breath‐holding, voluntary deep breathing and hypercapnia in left and right dorsal anterior cingulate," Experimental Physiology 106 (3) (2021).
Hyam JA, Wang S, Roy H, Moosavi SH, Martin S, Brittain JS, Coyne T, Silburn P, Aziz TZ, Green AL, "The pedunculopontine region and breathing in Parkinson’s disease," Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology 6 (5) (2019).
Green AL, Debrah E, Roy H, Rebelo P, Moosavi SH, "Thalamic deep brain stimulation may relieve breathlessness in COPD," Brain Stimulation 12 (3) (2019).

2018 - 2017

Grogono JC, Butler C, Izadi H, Moosavi SH, "Inhaled furosemide for relief of air hunger versus sense of breathing effort: a randomized controlled trial," Respiratory Research 19 (2018).
Banzett RB, Moosavi SH, "Measuring dyspnoea: new multidimensional instruments to match our 21st century understanding," European Respiratory Journal 49 (3) (2017).

2014 - 2009

Binks AP, Evans KC, Reed JD, Moosavi SH, Banzett RB, "The time-course of cortico-limbic neural responses to air hunger," Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology 204 (2014).
Boskabady MH, Neamati A, Mohaghegh Hazrati S, Khakzad MR, Moosavi SH, Gholamnezhad Z, "The preventive effects of natural adjuvants, G2 and G2F on tracheal responsiveness and serum IL-4 and IFN-γ (th1/th2 balance) in sensitized guinea pigs," Clinics 69 (7) (2014).
Pickering EE, Semple SJ, Nazir MS, Murphy K, Snow TM, Cummin AR, Moosavi SH, Guz A, Holdcroft A, "Cannabinoid effects on ventilation and breathlessness: A pilot study of efficacy and safety," Chronic Respiratory Disease 8 (2) (2011).
Yorke J, Swigris J, Russell A, Moosavi S, Kwong G, Longshaw M, Jones P, "Dyspnoea-12 is a valid and reliable measure of breathlessness in patients with ILD," Chest Journal 139 (1) (2011).
Gray JEA, Booth S, Brage S, Yorke J, Moosavi S, Bausewein C, Molassiotis A, Johnson M, Farquhar MC, "Breathlessness Research Interest Group," Progress in Palliative Care: Science and the Art of Caring 18 (2) (2010).
Yorke J, Moosavi S, Shuldham C, Jones P, "Quantification of dyspnoea using descriptors: development and initial testing of the Dyspnoea-12," Thorax 65 (1) (2010).
Booth S, Bausewein C, Higginson I, Moosavi SH, "Pharmacological treatment of refractory breathlessness," Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine 3 (1) (2009).
Dorman S, Jolley C, Abernethy A, Currow D, Johnson M, Farquhar M, Griffiths G, Peel T, Moosavi S, Byrne A, Wilcock A, Alloway L, Bausewein C, Higginson I, Booth S, "Researching breathlessness in palliative care: consensus statement of the National Cancer Research Institute Palliative Care Breathlessness Subgroup," Palliative Medicine 23 (3) (2009).

2009 - 2000

Booth S, Moosavi S, Higginson I, "The etiology and management of intractable breathlessness in patients with advanced cancer: a systematic review of pharmacological therapy," Nature Clinical Practice Oncology 5 (2) (2008).
Moosavi SH, Binks AP, Lansing RW, Topulos GP, Banzett RB, Schwartzstein RM, "Effect of inhaled furosemide on air hunger induced in healthy humans," Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology 156 (1) (2007).
Moosavi SH, Banzett RB, Butler JP, "Time course of air hunger mirrors the biphasic ventilatory response to hypoxia," Journal of Applied Physiology 97 (6) (2004).
Lansing Robert W, Moosavi Shakeeb H, Banzett Robert B, "Measurement of dyspnea: word labeled visual analog scale vs. verbal ordinal scale," Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology 134 (2) (2003).
Moosavi SH, Golestanian E, Binks AP, Lansing RW, Brown R, Banzett RB, "Hypoxic and hypercapnic drives to breathe generate equivalent levels of air hunger in humans," Journal of Applied Physiology 94 (1) (2003).
Moosavi SH, Guz A, Adams L, "Repeated exercise paired with 'imperceptible' dead space loading does not alter V˙e of subsequent exercise in humans," Journal of Applied Physiology 92 (3) (2002).
Binks AP, Moosavi SH, Banzett RB, Schwartzstein RM, "“Tightness” Sensation of Asthma Does Not Arise from the Work of Breathing," American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 165 (1) (2002).
Morrell MJ, Heywood P, Moosavi SH, Stevens J, Guz A, "Central chemosensitivity and breathing asleep in unilateral medullary lesion patients: comparisons to animal data," Respiration Physiology 129 (1-2) (2001).
Moosavi SH, Topulos GP, Hafer A, Lansing RW, Adams L, Brown R, Banzett RB, "Acute partial paralysis alters perceptions of air hunger, work and effort at constant PCO2," Respiration Physiology 122 (1) (2000).