Article October 10, 2020
Effects of forehead cooling and supportive care on menopause-related sleep difficulties, hot flashes and menopausal symptoms: A pilot study.
Objective/Background: This pilot study explored the efficacy of a novel forehead cooling device for perceived sleep difficulties and hot flashes in menopausal-age women. Participants: 20 women (55.1 ± 4.2 years; 19 post-menopausal) with insomnia symptoms and self-reported two or more hot flashes per…
Announcements October 10, 2020
SRI research scientists discuss new opportunities for large-scale data collection through consumer sleep technology
...research scientists Luca Menghini, Nicola Cellini, Aimee Goldstone, Fiona C Baker and Massimiliano de Zambotti discuss the new opportunities for large-scale data collection that CST could provide in clinical and...
Article September 3, 2020
A standardized framework for testing the performance of sleep-tracking technology: Step-by-step guidelines and open-source code
Sleep-tracking devices, particularly within the consumer sleep technology (CST) space, are increasingly used in both research and clinical settings, providing new opportunities for large-scale data collection in highly ecological conditions. Due to the fast pace of the CST industry combined…
Abstract July 27, 2020
Stress, sleep, and autonomic function in healthy adolescent girls and boys: Findings from the NCANDA study
Objectives: Starting in adolescence, female sex is a strong risk factor for the development of insomnia. Reasons for this are unclear but could involve altered stress reactivity and/or autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysregulation, which are strongly associated with the pathophysiology…
Journal Article July 14, 2020
Impact of evening alcohol consumption on nocturnal autonomic and cardiovascular function in adult men and women: A dose–response laboratory investigation
Study Objectives: To investigate the dose-dependent impact of moderate alcohol intake on sleep-related cardiovascular (CV) function, in adult men and women. Methods: A total of 26 healthy adults (30–60 years; 11 women) underwent 3 nights of laboratory polysomnographic (PSG) recordings…
Article June 1, 2020
The Falling Asleep Process in Adolescents
Study objectives: To investigate the pre-sleep psychophysiological state and the arousal deactivation process across the sleep onset (SO) transition in adolescents. Methods: Data were collected from a laboratory overnight recording in 102 healthy adolescents (48 girls, 12-20 years old). Measures included pre-sleep…
Article May 3, 2020
Sleep Disturbance Predicts Depression Symptoms in Early Adolescence: Initial Findings From the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study
Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate associations between sleep disturbances and mental health in adolescents. Methods: Data are from a national sample of 11,670 U.S. participants (5,594 females, aged 9-10 years, 63.5% white) in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development…
Article April 1, 2020
Disturbed Cerebellar Growth Trajectories in Adolescents Who Initiate Alcohol Drinking
Background: The cerebellum is a target of alcoholism-related brain damage in adults, yet no study has prospectively tracked deviations from normal cerebellar growth trajectories in adolescents before and after initiating drinking. Methods: Magnetic resonance imaging tracked developmental volume trajectories of 10 cerebellar…
Article March 2, 2020
Sensors Capabilities, Performance, and Use of Consumer Sleep Technology
Sleep is crucial for the proper functioning of bodily systems and for cognitive and emotional processing. Evidence indicates that sleep is vital for health, well-being, mood, and performance. Consumer sleep technologies (CSTs), such as multisensory wearable devices, have brought attention…
Article March 1, 2020
Sleep and Women’s Health: Sex- And Age-Specific Contributors to Alcohol Use Disorders
Prior research on alcohol use disorder (AUD) has focused primarily on men, but psycho-social-cultural changes have led to more women drinking or binge drinking, thus highlighting sex differences observed in alcohol use. In parallel, recent evidence indicates bidirectional links between…
Article October 21, 2019
Changes in Heart Rate and Blood Pressure During Nocturnal Hot Flashes Associated With and Without Awakenings
Hot flashes (HFs) are a hallmark of menopause in midlife women. They are beyond bothersome symptoms, having a profound impact on quality of life and wellbeing, and are a potential marker of cardiovascular (CV) disease risk. Here, we investigated the…
Article July 15, 2019
Automatic Artifact Detection in Impedance Cardiogram Using Pulse Similarity Index
Impedance cardiography (ICG) is a noninvasive technique for evaluation of cardiac hemodynamic parameters such as cardiac output and pre-ejection period. However, the sensitivity of the technique to motion artifact, electrode displacement, and cardiovascular pathologies can severely impact the accuracy of…
