How stress changes brain circuits that disrupt sleep
Neural basis underlying the impact of stress on sleep
Explores how stress-related brain signals cause fragmented sleep and REM abnormalities in people with stress-related insomnia or depression.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11194376 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, researchers will use laboratory models to map the brain circuits that link stress to poor sleep and brief awakenings. They will focus on stress-sensitive neurons (noradrenergic cells in the locus coeruleus and CRH neurons in the paraventricular nucleus) that connect to the sleep-regulating preoptic area. Using recordings and targeted manipulations in animals, they will measure how these circuits change sleep microarchitecture (microarousals and REM sleep) and alter cognitive behavior after stress. The goal is to determine whether different circuits separately drive sleep loss, fragmented non-REM sleep, and REM suppression.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with stress-related sleep problems such as frequent brief awakenings, stress-associated insomnia, or depression with REM-sleep abnormalities would be most relevant to this research.
Not a fit: Patients whose sleep problems are caused primarily by other untreated medical issues (for example, obstructive sleep apnea), medication side effects, or non-stress-related causes are less likely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify brain circuit targets for new treatments to reduce stress-related sleep disruption and its downstream effects on cognition and mood.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal studies, including work by these investigators, have shown that acute stress fragments sleep and suppresses REM, but the specific circuit mechanisms remain largely untested.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chung, Shinjae — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Chung, Shinjae
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.