Neurobiology of Sleep and Sleep Interventions
in the Elderly
The Neurobiology of Sleep and Sleep Interventions in the Elderly research study, studies the effects of aging on brain activity during sleep. Previous studies have revealed that sleep in the elderly is different from sleep in young adults. Assessment of brain activity will help identify regions of the brain which are related to these differences.
A total of 33 healthy elderly persons (both men and women) will participate in this study. Younger adult subjects have previously been studied for comparison. This research study is made up of assessments of sleep and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) studies of brain activity to be described below.
Should you decide to participate in this research study, you will be asked to sleep overnight at the Clinical Neuroscience Research Center, sleep lab, at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic for four nights within the same week.
You will be scheduled to have three separate Positron Emission Tomography (PET) assessments, one each during waking, deep sleep and dreaming sleep. The first PET scan will occur on the morning following the second night of sleep. The second and third PET assessments will occur in the middle of the night during the third and fourth nights of sleep.
Prior to your first night of sleep, you will receive a general medical examination including a physical examination and laboratory work consisting of an EKG, urine drug screen, a blood count, electrolytes, liver function tests and thyroid function tests. You will also be asked to have one Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging study of your brain and psychological testing. Results from your physical and MR scan will determine eligibility to proceed with the research study.
Following these inital sleep and PET assessments, you will be followed by another research team for 18 months for sleep interventions. After 18 months of the interventions, the sleep and the PET studies will be repeated.
Upon completion of this research study including sleep and PET studies you will receive an extensive evaluation of your sleep and an MR of your brain and compensated $500.00.
If you are 75 years of age or older, you may be eligible to participate in this research study. If you are interested in participating or to learn more about this study, please contact the Project Coordinator at (412) 246-6404 or you can contact us via the web.
