Past MnDRIVE Neuromodulation Postdoctoral Fellow, - Dr. Luke Johnson
Currently, MnDRIVE Neuromodulation Scholar & Associate Professor in Neurology
Department of Neurology
Mentor: Jerrold Vitek, Ph.D., Department of Neurology
Previous Project: Understanding pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease and the therapeutic effects of deep brain stimulation (DBS) – innovations in neuronal recording, analysis, and closed-loop control.
Sleep-wake disturbances like insomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness are a major factor associated with reduced quality of life of individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD), a progressive neurological disorder affecting millions of people in the U.S and worldwide. The brain mechanisms underlying these sleep disorders are not well understood. Common therapies to treat PD movement symptoms have mixed effects on sleep. Results from our research will provide a better understanding of the brain circuitry involved in disordered sleep in PD and inform the development of targeted therapeutic interventions to treat sleep disorders in people with neurodegenerative disease.
We can all relate to how poor sleep can negatively impact quality of life. This research is exciting because it tackles one of the most disruptive yet understudied aspects of Parkinson’s disease. Minnesota has one of the highest rates of Parkinson’s disease in the United States. This work has implications for improving their treatment, and sleep disorders more broadly.
There is increasing evidence that there is a strong link between poor sleep and brain disorders that involve neurodegeneration (like Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer's disease). Breakthroughs in improving sleep could be a key part of effectively treating neurodegenerative disorders.
