Rong Zhang, Ph.D.

Joined UT Southwestern: Internal Medicine - 1997 | Neurology - 2011

Rong Zhang, Ph.D., holds a primary appointment within the Department of Neurology and a Secondary appointment in Internal Medicine. He serves as Director of the Cerebrovascular Laboratory at the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, which is affiliated with UT Southwestern. Dr. Zhang is an internationally recognized expert in the study of cerebrovascular function and the impact of exercise training on brain aging and Alzheimer’s disease.

Research: Dr. Zhang is interested in the mathematical modeling of cerebral blood flow regulation. The methods he developed to assess dynamic cerebrovascular function have been used by many labs around the world. His research, supported by the American Heart Association, has demonstrated the important role of autonomic neural activity in the regulation of cerebral blood flow in human subjects.

His NIH-supported research has demonstrated that aerobic exercise training reduces central arterial stiffness and improves brain perfusion and white matter integrity measured by MRI diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in older adults. Furthermore, alterations in arterial stiffness and blood pressure circadian rhythm are associated with brain amyloid deposition measured by positron emission tomography (PET). These findings provide important insights into the impact of exercise training/physical activity on cardiovascular and brain plasticity and reveal the intrinsic interrelationship between cardiovascular and brain health.

He leads a multidisciplinary team to conduct integrative physiological studies and randomized controlled trials to answer the key questions if, and to what extent, reducing cardiovascular risk factors, dietary interventions, sleep, and exercise impact brain structure, function, and perfusion with the ultimate goal to improve brain health and quality-of-life in middle-aged and older adults. Dr. Zhang also has a strong research interest in understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which the brain responds to lifestyle changes.

Dr. Zhang has published more than 150 peer-reviewed research articles, reviews, and technical papers. His research has been highlighted by Time magazine, Forbes, and CNN. 

Special Roles: Dr. Zhang has served regularly as grant reviewer for the NIH, the Alzheimer’s Association, and the Research Councils of Canada, the UK, New Zealand, and the Netherlands since 2004.      

Background: Dr. Zhang received his undergraduate education in Physics at Sichuan University and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Aerospace Physiology at The Fourth Military Medical University in China. He completed his post-doctoral training in Space Medicine/Exercise Physiology with Benjamin Levine, M.D. at UT Southwestern.