Clinical Research Directory

Improvement of Sleep Disorders in Patients With Alzheimer's Disease After Sunlight Exposure Therapy.

This observational study aimed to understand the effect of intervention A on sleep disorders in individuals with Alzheimer's disease receiving sunlight therapy. The primary question of the study was: Does sunlight therapy improve sleep disorders in Alzheimer's disease? Participants will complete a questionnaire, undergo sunlight therapy, and have their sleep patterns recorded for 14 days.

Relieving Pain and Improving Sleep: Evaluating Topical Pain Relief and Sleep Patches

This minimal risk, randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved study with functional measurements, will evaluate pain relief and sleep improvement after use of a drug- free, non-invasive patch (FREEDOM or REM Patch; The Super Patch Company Inc.); using validated scales and functional measurement tools along with crossover and control groups within the same subject group not receiving an 'active' patch.

Evaluating the Effects of Tasimelteon vs. Placebo in Delayed Sleep-Wake Phase Disorder (DSWPD)

This is a multicenter, double-blind, randomized study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a daily single oral dose of tasimelteon and matching placebo in male and female participants with DSWPD.

Adult Sleep Health in the Rural Appalachia and Mississippi Delta Region and Its Relationships With Cardiometabolic Health Disparities.

Rural communities in the southern U.S. suffer a disproportionate burden of morbidity and mortality from cardiometabolic disease, with traditional risk factors explaining only a modest proportion of the excess burden of disease. There is considerable evidence that multiple dimensions of sleep health, including sleep duration, efficiency, timing, and regularity, as well as the disorders sleep apnea and insomnia, affect cardiometabolic disease risk. However, there is currently a lack of systematically developed sleep data in rural populations. The RURAL Sleep Study is an ancillary study to a recently initiated longitudinal epidemiology study in rural Appalachia and Mississippi Delta (the RURAL Study). The RURAL Sleep Study will add measures of sleep health to the complex individual, social and environmental factors and health outcome measures being evaluated by the RURAL Study, by incorporating minimally burdensome measures of multiple dimensions of sleep health. The results are expected to inform health care providers, public health officials, and the general public of the prevalence, risk factors, and consequences of impaired sleep health in these rural communities, providing a critical basis for prevention, recognition, and management of sleep disorders and improvement of sleep and cardiometabolic health.

The Role of Circadian Factors in Regulation of Neuroplasticity in Ischemic Stroke (Interventional)

There is a lack of complex studies which could establish the association between genetic circadian factors with the features and short-term outcomes of ischemic stroke, as well as the effects of various auxiliary therapies for circadian rhythm modulation for neuroplasticity enhancement and improvement of short-term outcomes in ischemic stroke. The main research hypothesis is that circadian factors influence the recovery from ischemic stroke via sleep-mediated regulation of synaptic plasticity. The project aims at the investigation of the influence of combined melatonin therapy and blue light exposure on molecular circadian biomarkers, sleep characteristics, neuroplasticity markers and stroke outcome in acute stroke patients. This study is a prospective, interventional, randomized placebo-controlled trial.

Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of PROSOMNIA Sleep Therapy™ in Patients With Sleep Deprivation and Chronic Insomnia

This clinical trial aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of PROSOMNIA Sleep Therapy (PSTx) for individuals suffering from chronic insomnia, sleep deprivation, and REM sleep disorders. Chronic insomnia, characterized by difficulty falling or staying asleep, significantly affects patients and quality of life, mood, and cognitive function. REM sleep disorders, in which the body struggles to enter or maintain restful REM sleep, can worsen these issues. The trial introduces a novel therapy using anesthesia-induced sleep, targeting sleep homeostasis and improving sleep architecture. Objectives: The primary goals of the trial are to determine: 1. Whether PROSOMNIA Sleep Therapy increases the quality of REM sleep. 2. Whether PSTx increases the duration of REM and/or NREM sleep. 3. Whether PSTx decreases the time it takes participants to fall asleep (sleep onset latency). Participants will receive ONE (1) PROSOMNIA Sleep Therapy session lasting between 60-120 minutes. Each session uses Diprivan/Propofol to induce sleep, and is monitored via an EEG to ensure proper sleep stages, particularly REM sleep. Participant Criteria: Inclusion: Adults aged 18-65 with diagnosed or undiagnosed chronic insomnia or sleep deprivation. Exclusion: Patients with severe obesity, significant cardiovascular, neurological, or psychiatric conditions, or those with an ASA status above II. Study Design: This trial is non-randomized, single-arm and open-label, with all participants receiving the PSTx. The trial does not include a comparison group, as the focus is on evaluating the immediate, direct effects of the therapy. Participants will undergo continuous EEG monitoring during therapy sessions, allowing researchers to track brain activity and sleep stages in real-time. This method ensures that sleep cycles, particularly REM sleep, are optimized for therapeutic benefit. Therapy Methodology: PROSOMNIA Sleep Therapy leverages anesthesia to mimic natural sleep patterns and enhance the efficiency of REM sleep. Diprivan/Propofol is used to induce REM sleep, while EEG monitoring tracks and maintains proper sleep architecture throughout the session. The therapy promotes the clearance of adenosine, a compound that builds up during wakefulness and drives the need for sleep. Adenosine is cleared during REM sleep, reducing sleep pressure and improving cognitive function. Outcome Measures: Primary Outcomes: Researchers will measure the increase in REM sleep duration, improvement in sleep quality (via self-reported questionnaires), and a reduction in sleep onset latency. Secondary Outcomes: These include changes in mood, cognitive function, and blood serum uric acid levels. Patient-reported outcomes will also be tracked through tools like the PROSOMNIA Sleep Quiz, which is specifically designed for PSTx. Significance: Chronic insomnia and REM sleep disorders affect millions globally, leading to cognitive impairment, mood disturbances, and poor overall health. Traditional treatments, including pharmacological approaches and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), often provide suboptimal results for many individuals. PSTx offers a novel, therapeutic approach to restoring sleep balance and enhancing the overall quality of sleep, particularly for those who have not responded to conventional treatments. Study Process: Recruitment and Baseline Assessments: Participants undergo a comprehensive sleep assessment, including sleep questionnaires and polysomnography, to establish a baseline for sleep quality and duration. Blood serum uric acid levels will also be measured to track any biochemical changes due to therapy. Therapy Sessions: Only one (1) PROSOMNIA Sleep Therapy session will be administered, with the session lasting between 60-120 minutes. Diprivan/Propofol is used to induce sleep, and EEG will monitor brain activity to ensure the proper balance of sleep stages. Post-Therapy Follow-up: Follow-up assessments will occur at 24 hours, 7 days, and 30 days post-treatment. Researchers will analyze the therapy effects on REM sleep, mood, cognitive function, and other health indicators. Potential Implications: If successful, this trial could revolutionize how we treat sleep disorders by targeting the underlying mechanisms of sleep pressure and REM sleep disruption. PROSOMNIA Sleep Therapy may offer a safe, effective, and immediate alternative for patients who have exhausted other treatment options. Key Concepts: Homeostatic sleep drive, (Process S), caused by adenosine buildup during wakefulness, is disrupted by chronic insomnia. This impacts cognitive function health and recovery. Anesthesia-induced REM sleep via PSTx helps regulate this homeostatic sleep stage, offering deeper and more restorative sleep compared to other sleep therapies. The study uses statistical methods like ANOVA and Chi-square to measure outcomes.

A Prospective Study: the Impact of Sleep Disturbances on Immunotherapy in Patients With Lung Cancer

In recent years, immunotherapy has made significant progress in the treatment of lung cancer, especially immune checkpoint inhibitors (such as PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies) against non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, there are significant individual differences in patient response to treatment. Studies have shown that sleep disorders may affect the function of the immune system, thereby affecting tumor progression and treatment response. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of sleep disturbances on lung cancer patients receiving immunotherapy.

Evaluating the Effects of Tasimelteon Vs. Placebo in Delayed Sleep-Wake Phase Disorder (DSWPD) and the CRY1Δ11 Variant

This is a double-blind, randomized, two-period crossover study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a single oral dose of tasimelteon and matching placebo in male and female subjects with DSWPD and the CRY1Δ11 variant.

Effects of Delayed School Start Times on Sleep, Mental Health, and Academic Performance Among Norwegian Adolescents

The aim is to investigate whether later school start times have positive effects on high school students' sleep patterns, mental health and daytime functioning.

Study of Sleep Quality in the Intensive Care Unit and Association with Weaning from Invasive Ventilation in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Bronchopneumopathy.

Patients admitted in ICU may require invasive mechanical ventilation, using a mechanical ventilator and an endotracheal tube. In ICU, a prolonged duration of invasive mechanical ventilation may be responsible for ventilator-induced lung injury, pulmonary infection, prolonged administration of sedation, neuromyopathy and prolonged length of stay. The goal of the ICU healthcare teams is therefore to reduce the duration of invasive mechanical ventilation as much as possible. ICU patients have many sleep disturbances: sleep fragmentation, sleep stage changes, changes in sleep architecture. These sleep disturbances are due to sedation and analgesia, delirium, patient care activities, noise and altered day-night cycles. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common respiratory disease. COPD complicates the management of invasive mechanical ventilation, particularly weaning of this invasive mechanical ventilation and extubation (removal of the intubation tube). To reduce the risk of reintubation, it is recommended that a weaning test is performed prior to extubation. The purpose of this test is to simulate the conditions of breathing without the help of a ventilator after extubation. If the weaning test is successful, the patient can theoretically be extubated. There are several causes associated with extubation failure, but studies suggest that sleep deprivation or poor sleep quality in the nights before extubation is one of them. In addition, patients with COPD often have chronic sleep disturbances or induced by their stay in the ICU (asthenia, bed rest, anxiety, sedation, etc.). The aim of our study will be to compare the sleep characteristics of COPD patients with a failed weaning test and those with a successful test. Our hypothesis is that patients with a failed weaning test will have more sleep disturbances in the period of 72 hours before the weaning test.

Electroencephalography and Sleep Quality With Lormetazepam in the Intensive Care Unit

The goal of this clinical trial is to test the effect of continuous lormetazepam infusion on EEG patterns in critically ill patients who are given continuous infusion of lormetazepam in an intensive care unit setting. The main questions it aims to answer are: • How does the continuous infusion of lormetazepam affect EEG readings in terms of specific patterns related to sleep quality and sedation depth? Participants will be asked to: * Receive continuous infusion of lormetazepam, administered as per the guidelines and judgment of the on-duty ward physician. * Undergo up to three EEG measurements over a period of 24 hours each using the X8 Sleep Profiler RTA device. These measurements will monitor brain activity and other related signals in order to assess the sedation depth and sleep quality. * These EEG readings will be performed after at least two hours of initiation of continuous lormetazepam infusion, potentially at different stages of their ICU stay. There is no direct comparison group in this study. However, after initial data from the first 15 patients is collected, an interim analysis will be performed. This will help researchers understand the ability to measure sleep quality and defined EEG parameters in this setup, and if necessary, adapt the study design or measurement procedures for better outcomes.

Sleep-Wake Patterns on Illness Trajectories and Treatment Response in MDD

The proposed study will include a longitudinal ecological study (Study 1) and a randomised controlled trial (Study 2). The aims will be to (1) identify the sleep-wake profiles in individuals with MDD through clustering; (2) examine the associations between sleep-wake features/profiles and the prognosis of MDD; and (3) investigate the anti-depressant effects of sleep- and circadian-targeted intervention in those with MDD and whether sleep-wake features/profiles may moderate the treatment outcomes. 70 depressed participants from Study 1 will be randomized to Study 2 for the Transdiagnostic Intervention for Sleep and Circadian Dysfunction (TranS-C) group and the care-as-usual (CAU) group in a 1:1 allocation ratio. The study period will be 8 weeks. Major assessments at baseline and immediate post-treatment will be managed by an independent assessor (a research assistant, RA) who is blind to the group allocation. The proposed trial and the nested pilot study will follow the CONSORT and STROBE guidelines, respectively. The intervention will be provided free of charge.The current registration is only for Study 2 of the current research project.

Longitudinal Ecological Study on Sleep-Wake Patterns in MDD Using Actigraphy

The proposed study will include a longitudinal ecological study (Study 1) and a randomised controlled trial (Study 2). The aims will be to (1) identify the sleep-wake profiles in individuals with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) through clustering; (2) examine the associations between sleep-wake features/profiles and the prognosis of MDD; and (3) investigate the anti-depressant effects of sleep- and circadian-targeted intervention in those with MDD and whether sleep-wake features/profiles may moderate the treatment outcomes. In Study 1, a total of 140 participants comprising 70 participants with MDD and 70 age- and gender-matched healthy controls will be recruited. Sleep-wake patterns will be collected for 4 consecutive weeks using actigraphy devices and one-off self-report measures will be collected via an in-house smartphone application, PsyHub. Study 1 and 2 will follow the CONSORT and STROBE guidelines, respectively. The current registration is only for Study 1 of the current research project.

Influence of Circadian Clock on Hormonal, Metabolic, Neurocognitive Markers in Adolescents With and Without Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), makes its appearance during childhood and youth, but management implications last till late adulthood. Its treatment includes the combination of multiple daily glucose measurements, insulin administration and balanced nutrition. The goals of therapy are to achieve glycemic control (HbA1c \< 7.5%), and minimal glycemic excursions. Furthermore, recent studies imply that keeping HbA1c within target range is not sufficient to prevent complications, attributed mainly to blood glucose level fluctuating from high to low, associated with food intake and adolescents behavior. The current implication of glycemic control on the central nervous system (CNS) includes abnormal electrical brain activity, structural changes in brain's white and grey matter, and cognitive impairment. Still, little is known on the effect of sleep pattern, including circadian rhythm reversal ("biological clock) on asymptomatic glycemic excursions, and on CNS functions. There is no data regarding the association of the biologic clock on CNS functionality among adolescents, nonetheless among T1DM adolescents, for whom behavior and circadian rhythm alterations may have harmful effect. The investigators propose a cross-over designed study by examining adolescents with and without T1DM during 2 weeks of regular sleeping pattern (night sleep), and during 2 weeks of sleeping during the day as happens during summer vacation. The main objective of the proposed study is to offer proof of the clinical and metabolic relevance and cognitive effects of the reversal of the circadian clock in adolescents with and T1DM during summer vacations and weekends. Study is designed to demonstrate a difference among healthy and diabetics during reversed night/day circadian clocks in the time spent within target range of glucose, performance on neuro cognitive tasks, electrical brain activity, and hormonal profile.