Investigating how Parkinson's disease and deep brain stimulation affect sleep behavior.
Official title: The effects of parkinsonism and deep brain stimulation on basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuitry during sleep-wake behavior
Funded at University of Minnesota · NIH-11127640 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how sleep problems affect people with Parkinson's disease and how a treatment called deep brain stimulation might help improve their sleep by changing the way certain parts of the brain work together.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $609,311 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS110613-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-11127640 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals diagnosed with Parkinson's disease who experience significant sleep-wake disturbances.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without Parkinson's disease or those who do not experience sleep disturbances may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on understanding the sleep-wake disturbances experienced by individuals with Parkinson's disease, which significantly impact their quality of life. It aims to explore the neuronal activity and interactions within the basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuitry during different stages of Parkinsonism. By examining how deep brain stimulation alters these interactions, the study seeks to uncover mechanisms that could lead to improved sleep quality for patients. The research will involve detailed analysis of brain circuitry and physiological changes associated with sleep disorders in Parkinson's disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new therapeutic strategies that significantly improve sleep quality for patients with Parkinson's disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding brain circuitry related to sleep disorders, suggesting that this approach could yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Johnson, Luke Aaron — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Johnson, Luke Aaron
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Cerebellar Deep Brain Stimulation for Spinocerebellar Ataxias
A preliminary clinical trial will test delivering electrical stimulation to the cerebellum in people with spinocerebellar ataxia to see if it improves balance and coordination.
-
Improving deep brain stimulation with MRI and AI
We use brain scans and artificial intelligence to speed up and personalize deep brain stimulation settings for people getting DBS.
-
Adaptive deep brain stimulation to help Parkinson's patients respond to daily changes
A new, smarter brain stimulation approach for Parkinson’s disease aims to automatically adjust therapy throughout the day to better control symptoms.
-
Automated programming for personalized deep brain stimulation in Parkinson’s disease
Aims to create an AI-powered system that automatically tunes the brain stimulation settings for people with Parkinson’s disease to improve benefits and reduce side effects.
-
Ventral pallidum brain stimulation for epilepsy
A brain stimulation therapy in people with epilepsy whose seizures aren’t controlled by medicines or surgery is being studied to see if it can help achieve seizure freedom.
-
TinyML-powered closed-loop DBS for Parkinson's disease
A small, energy-efficient brain-stimulation system using lightweight AI runs on an implanted device to adapt DBS in real time for people with Parkinson's disease.
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.