The Providence Sleep Research Interest Group (PSRIG) was formed in 1990 and provides an opportunity for scientists and clinicians to interact on a monthly basis for the scholarly exchange of ideas and information pertaining to the area of sleep and circadian rhythms. Individuals from the surrounding areas of Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts participate in the monthly meetings, and we sometimes have visits and presentations from colleagues from other parts of the country. The atmosphere of the meetings is intimate and informal, yet sleep-sophisticated.

PSRIG meetings are held monthly on the third Tuesday beginning at 1745 hours (light dinner provided). Presentations represent the diverse backgrounds and approaches employed by PSRIG members in their study of sleep and chronobiological issues, including basic and clinical research.

If you would like to be added to the PSRIG mailing list, please email Katie Sharkey at ksharkey@lifespan.org.

Directions to the Sleep Lab may be found by clicking on the telephone icon on the top right corner of any page on this website.

Dates, speakers, and topics for the 2007-2008 academic year are listed below:



SPECIAL PRESENTATION
Peter Achermann, Ph.D.
Director of Human Research, Pharmacology and Sleep Research Laboratory
University of Zurich

"Oscillatory events and topographical aspects of the human sleep EEG"

We welcome Dr. Achermann for a very special lunch-time PSRIG from 12-1 pm, February 25th, 2008.
A light lunch will be served.

We thank Sepracor for their generous support of this seminar with an educational grant.

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Rachel Leproult, Ph.D.,
Research Associate (Assistant Professor)
Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University of Chicago

"Sleep loss as a risk factor for diabetes and obesity"

Chronic sleep loss due to voluntary bedtime restriction is increasingly common. While sleep exerts marked modulatory effects on glucose metabolism, and molecular mechanisms for the interaction between sleeping and feeding have been documented, the putative impact of recurrent sleep curtailment on the risk for diabetes and obesity has only recently been investigated. Intriguingly, in the US, the dramatic increase in the incidence of obesity and diabetes seems to have developed over the same period of time as the progressive decrease in sleep duration. The two trends mirror each other over the second half of the 20th century. In laboratory studies of healthy young lean men submitted to sleep restriction for 2-6 days, marked alterations in glucose metabolism are observed. The neuroendocrine regulation of appetite is also affected as the levels of the anorexigenic hormone leptin are decreased while the levels of the orexigenic factor ghrelin are increased. These differences in the regulation of leptin and ghrelin occur despite similar amounts of caloric intake and physical activity, as well as stable body mass index. Importantly, these neuroendocrine abnormalities are correlated with increased hunger and appetite that may lead to overeating and weight gain. Whether some degree of adaptation might occur if sleep restriction continues during a more extended period of time, i.e. months or years, is an important open question. Preliminary data show that when sleep loss becomes more chronic, adaptation seems to occur for glucose metabolism, as the initial impairment of glucose tolerance and of ß-cell responsiveness subside, but insulin resistance develops. In contrast, the impact of sleep loss on appetite regulation seems to be similar under acute or chronic conditions, as both short-term laboratory studies of sleep restriction and studies of habitual short sleepers show an up-regulation of the appetite-stimulating ghrelin and a down regulation of the satiety hormone leptin. Consistent with these findings, a growing body of epidemiological evidence supports an association between short and/or poor sleep and the risk for obesity and diabetes. In conclusion, chronic sleep loss, a condition that affects millions of individuals in our modern society, may be a risk factor for obesity, diabetes and syndrome X.

We thank Sepracor for their generous support of this seminar with an educational grant.

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Philip R. Gehrman, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Psychology, University of the Sciences


"Mechanisms of Insomnia: Linking Neurobiology and Genes"

Insomnia is a widespread mental health problem that affects 35-45% of the U.S. population on at least an occasional basis. The consequences of insomnia are numerous including reduced quality of life, greater use of health care, and increased risk for developing mood and anxiety disorders. Unfortunately, little is known about the underlying mechanisms of insomnia. Given that sleep is often disrupted during times of stress, a logical place to begin the search for the etiology of insomnia is the stress response system. Data are beginning to emerge that people with insomnia are more reactive to stress, particularly in terms of their sleep. Whereas this top down approach uses clinical observations to direct the search for mechanisms, a complementary strategy is to take a more bottom up approach by focusing on the genetics of insomnia. Data will be examined that support the role of genetics in the etiology of insomnia, along with a proposed research plan for combining genetics and neurobiology in a model of the etiology of insomnia.

We thank Sepracor for their generous support of this seminar with an educational grant.

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Jeffrey M. Ellenbogen, M.D., MMSc
Instructor, Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School
Director, Sleep Medicine Program, Massachusetts General Hospital


"Don't forget to sleep: The influence of sleep on memory"

Memories evolve. After learning something new, the brain initiates a complex set of post-learning processing that strengthens memory (i.e. consolidation). Evidence points to sleep as one of the determinants of that change. Is that possible? And what are the best methods to examine these phenomena. In this talk, I will discuss some of the biological plausibility of sleep leading to boosts in certain kinds of memory, and I will describe some behavioral methods of how to best capture this effect of sleep.

We thank Sepracor for their generous support of this seminar with an educational grant.

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TBA

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Monique K. LeBourgeois, Ph.D., Assistant Professor (Research)
Center for the Study of Human Development
Brown University

We thank Sepracor for their generous support of this seminar with an educational grant.

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Meir Kryger, MD, FRCPC, Director, Sleep Medicine Research and Education
Gaylord Hospital

We thank Sepracor for their generous support of this seminar with an educational grant.

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