Brainstem neuromodulation in sleep apnea
Researcher
Sudi Duan
Principal Investigator
Dr. Silvia Pagliardini
Institution
University of Alberta
Grant Type
Undergraduate
Disorder
Sleep apnea
About the researcher
Sudi Duan
Undergraduate student at the University of Alberta
The impact
Sleep apnea is a disorder characterized by loss of muscle tone in the tongue and airway, resulting in short periods of suffocation in sleep. Little is known about the neuromodulatory aspects of normal muscle tone in sleep, let alone abnormal conditions like sleep apnea.
The study
This project uses state of the art optogenetics technology to explore the neural circuitry in sleep breathing.
What's next?
Sleep apnea is currently treated with a bulky mechanical respirator that has limited success. The findings from this project could identify targets that would allow for the development of less-invasive treatments.
