Sleep News and Research

Latest Sleep News and Research

Zolpidem associated with increased risk of falls

A drug commonly prescribed to help patients sleep in hospitals has been associated with an increased risk of falls, according to a study published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.

19 Nov 2012

Periodicity Index limits variability when measuring restless legs

The Periodicity Index is a more stable measure of leg movements during sleep in restless legs syndrome than the widely used periodic leg movements index, investigators have found.

16 Nov 2012

Study finds mechanism that mediates inhibition of critical breathing muscles during REM sleep

A novel brain mechanism mediating the inhibition of the critical breathing muscles during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep has been identified for the first time in a new study, offering the possibility of a new treatment target for sleep-related breathing problems.

16 Nov 2012

Researchers identify broad patterns of gene activity that correspond to aggression

With a mate and a nest to protect, the male threespined stickleback is a fierce fish, chasing and biting other males until they go away.

15 Nov 2012

Irregular sleep patterns may trigger schizophrenia symptoms

Neuroscientists studying the link between poor sleep and schizophrenia have found that irregular sleep patterns and desynchronised brain activity during sleep could trigger some of the disease's symptoms. The findings, published in the journal Neuron, suggest that these prolonged disturbances might be a cause and not just a consequence of the disorder's debilitating effects.

15 Nov 2012

Heart rate variability may help to understand chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)

Researchers have discovered for the first time that reduced heart rate variability – or changes in heart beat timing – best predicts cognitive disturbances, such as concentration difficulties commonly reported by people with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

15 Nov 2012

Fevers can be helpful as a child battles an illness

For many parents discovering their child has a fever can be unnerving. It's one of the most common reasons parents call their doctor or bring their child in for medical care. Fevers are just a natural part of many illnesses and, in fact, can be helpful as a child battles an illness.

15 Nov 2012

OSA treatment reduces office blood pressure

Treatment of obstructive sleep apnea can reduce blood pressure in men with hypertension, a clinical practice study has shown.

9 Nov 2012

Melatonin improves sleep in children with neurodevelopmental disorders

Melatonin increases the length of time spent asleep and reduces the time it takes to get to sleep for children with neurodevelopmental disorders, compared with placebo, show study results published in the British Medical Journal.

9 Nov 2012

Dream images could provide insights into people's mental health problems

Dream images could provide insights into people's mental health problems and may help with their treatment, according to a psychology researcher from the University of Adelaide.

9 Nov 2012

Respiratory symptoms differ significantly during different stages of the menstrual cycle

Respiratory symptoms vary significantly during different stages of the menstrual cycle, with higher frequencies during the mid-luteal to mid-follicular stages, according to a new study.

9 Nov 2012

FDA accepts Merck’s suvorexant NDA for standard review

Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that the New Drug Application (NDA) for suvorexant, the company's investigational insomnia medicine, has been accepted for standard review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

9 Nov 2012

Communications down in anesthetized brain

Two studies indicate that inhaled anesthetics disrupt communication between distant cortical areas before directly activating sleep-inducing neuronal circuitry.

8 Nov 2012

Synthetic cannabinoid could treat pain in diabetes patients

Oral synthetic cannabinoid nabilone may be effective for treating diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain, a study shows.

8 Nov 2012

Autologous stem cells do not improve heart function when given three weeks after heart attack

Administering stem cells derived from patients' own bone marrow either three or seven days after a heart attack is safe but does not improve heart function six months later, according to a clinical trial supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

8 Nov 2012

Ethical issues in organ transplantation

The MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics will focus its 24th Annual Dorothy J. MacLean Fellows Conference on ethical issues in organ transplantation and other broader ethical topics, including global health, pediatric immunization and end-of-life care.

8 Nov 2012

EUROECHO 2012 reveals how imaging improves early diagnosis of atherosclerosis

"Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease and the leading killer in Europe," said Professor Patrizio Lancellotti, President-Elect of the EACVI and Chairman of the EUROECHO Scientific Programme Committee. "Many of these deaths could be averted by diagnosis at a preclinical stage or early after the onset of symptoms."

8 Nov 2012

UMDNJ physician reminds residents to be alert for health hazards associated with Hurricane cleanup

As the northeastern United States begins its long recovery from the destruction wrought by Hurricane Sandy, a family physician with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ)-School of Osteopathic Medicine is reminding residents to be alert for potential health hazards associated with the cleanup.

7 Nov 2012

Heart disease risk factors widespread among Hispanic/Latino adults in the U.S.

Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS-SOL) - which will be presented at the American Heart Association Annual Meeting in Los Angeles on Nov. 5 and published in the Nov. 7 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) - finds heart disease risk factors are widespread among Hispanic/Latino adults in the United States.

7 Nov 2012

Characteristics of both patient and surgeon can affect dental implants’ success

Characteristics of both patient and surgeon can affect the success of dental implants. A 10-year study finds that patient risk factors such as grinding teeth or diabetes increase the odds of implant failure. It also associates higher implant failure rates with surgeons who have less than 5 years of experience.

7 Nov 2012