Understanding sleep problems in Parkinson’s disease using at-home brain recordings and adaptive stimulation
Official title: Determining the circuits and signals of sleep dysfunction in Parkinson's disease through chronic intracranial recordings and closed-loop Deep Brain Stimulation
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11330586 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Scientists are testing how brain signals during sleep relate to sleep problems in Parkinson’s and whether a special DBS device at home can improve sleep by adapting stimulation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2023 |
| Project end | February 29, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $652,631 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS131405-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11330586 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with Parkinson’s disease who experience sleep disturbances and are eligible for DBS implantation and home-based monitoring.
✕Less likely to help
People without Parkinson’s or those who cannot participate in home-recording or DBS therapies may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project will use chronically implanted brain sensors in people with Parkinson’s to monitor sleep at home and see which brain circuits go awry during different sleep stages. The team will test whether closing the loop on deep brain stimulation can modulate those sleep-related brain rhythms to improve sleep quality and daytime function. By combining long-term recordings with targeted stimulation, the study aims to map the neural signals that disrupt sleep and test a therapy that adapts in real time. Participants will contribute data during their natural sleep at home and may benefit if the therapy improves their sleep and daily symptoms.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could lead to personalized sleep-directed brain therapies that improve sleep and daytime function in people with Parkinson’s.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary work has shown abnormal sleep-brain rhythms in Parkinson’s, with similar DBS approaches promising modulation of symptoms in other contexts.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Little, Simon — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Little, Simon
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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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.
-
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.
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Adaptive Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease
A safety-focused study tests a new brain-stimulation device that could tailor therapy for people with Parkinson’s by adapting stimulation based on brain signals and sleep stages.
-
Theta Burst Deep Brain Stimulation for Cognitive and Motor Benefits in Parkinson’s-Related Dementia
A study from USC will test a new brain stimulation approach to help people with Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia improve thinking skills and movement.
-
Spatiotemporal Tuning of Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson’s Disease
Aims to personalize deep brain stimulation by adjusting where and when the brain is stimulated to better control Parkinson’s symptoms.
-
Subthalamic Deep Brain Stimulation to Help with Visuo-Vestibular Conflicts in Parkinson's
A study to improve how people with Parkinson's use visual and balance cues when moving, by optimizing deep brain stimulation in the subthalamic nucleus to help navigation and balance.
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.