Alec Butenas

Headshot of Alec Butenas

Professor

129 Coles Hall
Email

Education

NIH F32 Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Florida,2023-2026
Specialization: Respiratory Neuroplasticity

Ph.D. Kinesiology, Kansas State University, 2023
Specialization: Autonomic Neurophysiology

B.S. Kinesiology, Kansas State University, 2018

Research Interests

The Butenas Laboratory investigates the neural mechanisms through which sensory afferent pathways regulate respiratory and autonomic function. Our research seeks to understand how peripheral sensory signals are integrated within the spinal cord and brainstem to produce long-lasting changes in motor output, with the ultimate goal of developing neuromodulatory therapies for disorders affecting breathing and cardiovascular regulation.

A major focus of our work is understanding the mechanisms of respiratory motor plasticity, a form of neuroplasticity that strengthens respiratory motor output following intermittent stimulation. While intermittent hypoxia has been extensively studied as a therapeutic strategy, our laboratory is exploring how activation of peripheral sensory pathways—including vagal afferents—can induce comparable forms of spinal plasticity. We investigate the cellular and molecular signaling pathways that govern these responses, including serotonergic, noradrenergic, and other neuromodulatory systems.

Our laboratory employs integrative physiological approaches in rodent models, combining in vivo electrophysiology, pharmacology, molecular biology, and physiological measurements to examine interactions between respiratory, sympathetic, and cardiovascular control systems. This systems-level approach allows us to link molecular mechanisms with whole-animal physiological function.

Ultimately, our long-term goal is to identify novel neuromodulatory strategies that promote functional recovery following neurological injury and improve treatment approaches for disorders such as spinal cord injury, ALS, age-related respiratory dysfunction, and diseases characterized by impaired autonomic regulation.

Selected Publications

  • Butenas ALE, Mitchell GS. (2026) Sympathetic Long-Term Facilitation Following Acute Intermittent Hypoxia Is Similar in the Diurnal Rest vs Active Phase in Vagal-Intact Rats. Journal of Neurophysiology. In press.
  • Marciante AB, Butenas ALE, Burrowes KA, Mitchell GS. (2026) Approaching Hurricane Effects on Phrenic Motor Plasticity: The Florida Experience. Journal of Neurophysiology. In press
  • Butenas ALE, Ahmadian M, Marciante AB, Jones AA, de Castro S, Mitchell GS. (2026) Vagal Supression of Diurnal Variations in Acute Intermittent Hypoxia-Induced Phrenic Long-Term Facilitation. Journal of Neurophysiology. 136 (1), 16-28
  • Butenas ALE, Mitchell GS. (2025) Phrenic Long-Term Facilitation Following Acute Intermittent Hypercapnic-Hypoxia in Rats. J Appl Physiol. 139 (6), 1627-1637