Sleep News and Research

Latest Sleep News and Research

Study explores comorbidity of medical complaints and insomnia symptoms in school-aged children

A study in the Dec. 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine indicates that significant associations exist between parent-reported insomnia symptoms and medical complaints of gastrointestinal regurgitation and headaches in young school-aged children.

15 Dec 2009

Reducing TV time may help prevent obesity in adults

Adults who used an electronic lock-out system to reduce their television time by half did not change their calorie intake but did expend more energy over a three-week period, according to a report in the December 14/28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

15 Dec 2009

USPTO issues Notice of Allowance to Transcept Pharmaceuticals for Intermezzo claims

Transcept Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has received a Notice of Allowance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for claims under U.S. patent application no. 11/060,641, which covers the composition and use of Intermezzo® (zolpidem tartrate sublingual tablet), the lead Transcept product candidate.

15 Dec 2009

Being obese increases the risk for developing OSA in adolescents, study shows

A study in the Dec. 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine shows that being overweight or obese increases the risk for developing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adolescents but not in younger children.

15 Dec 2009

Researchers discover enzyme activity behind sleep deprivation

There is hope for those who miss one night too many or whose children keep them up at night. The unwelcome effects of a bad night's sleep - forgetfulness, impaired mental performance - can be dealt with by reducing the concentration of an enzyme in the brain. These are the conclusions of research published by Rubicon-grant winner Robbert Havekes and colleagues in the 22 October issue of Nature.

14 Dec 2009

Several DNA sequences linked to impaired pulmonary function, uncovers new study

A new study involving data from more than 20,000 individuals has uncovered several DNA sequences linked to impaired pulmonary function. The research, an analysis that combined the results of several smaller studies, provides insight into the mechanisms involved in reaching full lung capacity.

14 Dec 2009

Physician's counsel can make a difference in reducing sudden death syndrome

The advice of a pediatrician to place infants on their backs to sleep appears to be the single most important motivator in getting parents to follow these recommendations and a key reason that the rate of sudden death syndrome (SIDS) has plummeted since the "Back to Sleep" campaign was launched in 1994, says a UT Southwestern researcher.

14 Dec 2009

Innovative approaches to develop more effective interventions to reduce obesity

The National Institutes of Health is launching a $37 million program that will use findings from basic research on human behavior to develop more effective interventions to reduce obesity.

13 Dec 2009

Advice of pediatrician key motivator in baby's sleep position

13 Dec 2009

"Gift a bed net" initiative to prevent malaria

Along with the joy of the holiday season comes the usual pressure for families. There are cards to send, cookies to bake, and gifts to wrap. However, one thing most American families don't have to worry this Christmas is finding enough money to protect their children from a life-threatening illness. That's not the case for families like Rachell Chuya and her five children in Zambia.

11 Dec 2009

Pfizer's Prevenar 13 granted European marketing authorization

The European Commission has granted Pfizer Inc. a European marketing authorization for its pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, Prevenar 13 (Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Conjugate Vaccine [13-valent, adsorbed]). Prevenar 13 is indicated for active immunization for the prevention of invasive disease, pneumonia, and acute otitis media caused by 13 Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes in infants and children from 6 weeks to 5 years of age. Invasive pneumococcal disease includes sepsis, meningitis, bacteremia, bacteremic pneumonia, and empyema.

11 Dec 2009

NIH launches a $37 million program to reduce obesity

The National Institutes of Health is launching a $37 million program that will use findings from basic research on human behavior to develop more effective interventions to reduce obesity.

11 Dec 2009

Psychologists can help people deal with anxiety and depression symptoms more effectively

From Thanksgiving to New Year's, there are many wishes for everyone to have a blissful and celebratory holiday season. But for many people, the holidays bring more misery than mirth, particularly at a time when the ailing economy can't seem to recover quickly enough and money worries remain on people's minds.

10 Dec 2009

Santa's top 10 holiday health tips

Santa Claus is coming to town - and Christmas eve is the one night that he must be healthy for his madcap, round-the-world dash. Like us, he's under quite a bit of stress this time of year. While we have crowded stores, visiting relatives, and lots of sugary treats that can strain our immune system, he has elves working feverishly round-the-clock, bickering reindeer, millions of letters to read, and frosty winter weather.

10 Dec 2009

March of Dimes poll finds majority of pregnant women worry about birth defects

The March of Dimes polled about 1,200 moms to find out exactly what it is that caused them to lose sleep (other than the fact they were pregnant!) while they were pregnant. The results were presented today at the March of Dimes National Communications Advisory Council luncheon where experienced, practicing obstetricians and gynecologists discussed the survey results, as well as some of the frequently asked questions their patients ask.

9 Dec 2009

New Medical Design Partner Specialist joins Microchip Technology's program

Microchip Technology Inc., a leading provider of microcontroller and analog semiconductors, today announced a new Medical Design Partner Specialist. TechEn, Inc. joins Microchip’s program of more than 14 Design Partner Specialists in areas such as medical electronics, Radio-Frequency (RF) design and touch sensing.

9 Dec 2009

Regular sexual activity can help improve the overall health in men

Boston Medical Group, a national physician network specializing in the treatment of erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation, today released the top ten reasons regular sexual activity can help improve men’s overall health. From decreased blood pressure to more restful sleep, sexual activity is essential for maintaining bodily functions as well as overall health and well-being.

7 Dec 2009

FDA provides a Complete Response Letter for Somaxon Pharmaceuticals' Silenor NDA

Somaxon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the in-licensing, development and commercialization of proprietary branded pharmaceutical products and late-stage product candidates for the treatment of diseases and disorders in the central nervous system therapeutic area, today announced that the company has received a Complete Response Letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its New Drug Application (NDA) for Silenor® (doxepin) for the treatment of insomnia.

7 Dec 2009

New technique to determine pediatric OSA

Researchers at the University of Chicago have discovered a technique that is able to determine whether a child has obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or habitual snoring by screening their urine.

7 Dec 2009

Study explains how circadian rhythms can drive feeding and metabolism behaviors

One of the pioneers in research on sleep:wake circadian genes, Amita Sehgal, Ph.D., has discovered that fruit flies' appetite and consumption are controlled by two rival sets of clocks, one in neurons and the other in the fly fat body, which is analogous to the liver.

6 Dec 2009