Sleep News and Research

Latest Sleep News and Research

Dementia & Alzheimer’s drug trial with sleep hormone melatonin

A new drug is in the making that could improve the quality of life for people with dementia. Glasgow-based medical research company CPS Research is conducting a clinical trial using a drug containing the sleep hormone melatonin, which it is hoped will reduce the symptoms associated with the illness.

28 Mar 2011

From fatigued to fantastic! You CAN effectively treat CFS, fatigue, fibromyalgia and muscle pain

The “perfect storm” for Fibromyalgia, CFS/ME, and fatigue in general is preparing to hit. A combination of poor nutrition, decreasing sleep, increasing stress and environmental toxins has created a human energy crisis of unprecedented proportions. Over the past 10 years, the incidence of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and Fibromyalgia (FMS) has exploded by 400 to 1000 percent, as documented in five separate studies. The numbers for those with CFS in the U.S., previously estimated at 500,000, are now being re-tallied at closer to 1- 2.5 million. Previous estimates placed the number of Americans with FMS at 6 million. Studies worldwide suggest this has likely gone up in the last decade to ~ 12-24 million Americans! Meanwhile, ¼ of Americans suffer with chronic pain and most are fatigued.

28 Mar 2011

Cleveland Medical Devices Inc. spins off Great Lakes NeuroTech

Cleveland Medical Devices Inc. (CMDI) has announced the formation of Great Lakes NeuroTech (www.GLNeuroTech.com), a spin-off company which has acquired the rights to develop, market, and manufacture clinical motor assessment and therapy systems for the movement disorders market as well as physiological monitors for research and education markets. Great Lakes NeuroTech (GLN) will perform R&D, engineering, manufacturing, distribution, and exporting of these technologies through two divisions: Movement Disorders and Research & Education Systems.

28 Mar 2011

Early symptoms of Parkinson's disease may be revealed in dream sleep

During a large-scale study of the socioeconomic costs of this neurodegenerative disease, Danish researchers, some from the University of Copenhagen, discovered that very early symptoms of Parkinson's disease may be revealed in dream or REM sleep.

28 Mar 2011

Alpha II, PCIS Gold enter integration contract

Alpha II, a leader in healthcare coding, compliance and reimbursement, announced today a new integration contract with PCIS Gold, a provider of single-source medical group practice software. Alpha II's ClaimStaker software will enhance coding reliability, while increasing professional and institutional claim validity for PCIS Gold's customers.

28 Mar 2011

Graymark Healthcare 2010 net revenues increase 30% to $22.8 million

Graymark Healthcare, Inc., the nation's second largest provider of diagnostic sleep services and an innovator in comprehensive care for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), reported financial results for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010.

28 Mar 2011

Experts to discuss on neuroscience of emotion-related disorders

Can feeling happy in older age weaken cognition? Is the prevailing drug treatment model for mood disorders the only option? Is chronic sleep deprivation behind the meltdowns we have at home and at work?

25 Mar 2011

Two new studies on post-traumatic stress disorder

Two related studies released by this week by Geisinger Health System researchers identify specific genetic risks associated with post-traumatic stress disorder and help identify key psychosocial predictors that may lead to PTSD.

25 Mar 2011

Patients with low back pain can benefit from new spinal neuromodulation device

Results from an ongoing prospective study report that a novel spinal neuromodulation device changes the paradigm for patients suffering with low back pain who have not found relief through conventional spinal cord stimulation.

25 Mar 2011

HCG hormone therapy may benefit patients with intractable pain

Results from a small study of intractable pain patients being treated with the human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) hormone reported that they had experienced pain free hours in the past month. These results were presented at a poster session at the American Academy of Pain Medicine's 27th Annual Meeting.

25 Mar 2011

Brain's pleasure and reward circuitry gets a big boost after a sleepless night

A sleepless night can make us cranky and moody. But a lesser known side effect of sleep deprivation is short-term euphoria, which can potentially lead to poor judgment and addictive behavior, according to new research from the University of California, Berkeley.

24 Mar 2011

Insomnia affects 20% of the Spanish population

Insomnia is common in Spain, and affects one person in every five. This is the conclusion of a study carried out by the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona and the Stanford University School of Medicine (USA), which shows that 40% of survey respondents aged over 65 report interrupted sleep at night being the prime cause of this problem.

24 Mar 2011

Study finds prevalence of insomnia among Spanish population

Insomnia is common in Spain, and affects one person in every five. This is the conclusion of a study carried out by the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona and the Stanford University School of Medicine, which shows that 40% of survey respondents aged over 65 report interrupted sleep at night being the prime cause of this problem.

23 Mar 2011

MD Anderson receives $2.7 million NCI grant for acupuncture study in cancer

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has been awarded a grant to study whether xerostomia, a debilitating side effect caused by head and neck cancer radiation treatment, can be prevented when acupuncture is part of a patient's treatment regimen.

23 Mar 2011

New study: Minority women may face risk of prenatal depression during pregnancy

A new study finds that African-American and Asian/Pacific Islander women have double the risk that others do of becoming depressed before giving birth, after adjusting for socioeconomic risk factors.

23 Mar 2011

AstraZeneca, Senectus sign deal to identify compounds that trigger cancer cell ageing

Senectus Therapeutics has signed a deal to screen a selection of AstraZeneca's chemical compound library to identify those which trigger a key element of cancer cell ageing - called senescence.

23 Mar 2011

Plackers provides Grind-No-More dental night protectors for taxpayers

Tax season is stressful for many Americans, and even the IRS's extension of this year's filing deadline to April 18 may not provide much relief.

22 Mar 2011

‘Sleeping sickness’ pandemic offers insight into Parkinson’s

A bizarre disease that caused sufferers to fall into a deep ‘sleep’ while still being aware of their surroundings can offer us insight into the nature of Parkinson’s disease.

21 Mar 2011

Ethnicity, depression, lack of exercise are major risk factors for chronic fatigue syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is characterized by unexplained and debilitating tiredness and is associated with headaches, disrupted sleep, muscle pain and difficulty in concentrating. New research published by BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Medicine shows that ethnicity, depression, lack of exercise or social support, and social difficulties are major risk factors for CFS.

21 Mar 2011

Rotech closes private offering of $290M in Senior Notes due 2018

Rotech Healthcare Inc. announced the closing of its previously announced offering of $290 million in aggregate principal amount of Senior Second Lien Notes due 2018.

19 Mar 2011