Sleep Lab

The CHBH sleep lab has undergone significant refurbishment to support advanced sleep and circadian assessments. The sleep suites now allow for 24-h multi-modal monitoring for single or multi-day studies, within a controlled environment for sleep and circadian assessment (e.g., controlled for light, temperature, sound and time).

Each sleep suite includes a modifiable Sleepmotion bed (flat to semi-recumbent), a LiveAmp 32-channel EEG system for full polysomnography, and PCs/software with a large range of standard neurocognitive tests used in sleep/circadian science. Biological sampling capability includes single assessment urine, saliva and blood or continuous sampling of blood via an in-dwelling intravenous line available during wake or throughout the sleep period. Together, the facility supports all sleep study designs including nap paradigms, overnight PSG, sleep deprivation, multi-day studies and constant routine assessment. Biological (e.g., melatonin, proteomics, metabolomics), neurophysiological (e.g., EEG/PSG) and behavioural study end points are supported.

Sleep lab lead Clare Anderson launches the new lab with an exciting program of research developing novel sleep-related biomarkers of Alzheimer’s Disease risk using both neural (EPSRC IAA) and biological signatures (Takeda Pharmaceutical). Her wider program will examine the role of sleep and circadian rhythms to promote brain and cognitive health and develop targeted sleep-solutions to improve these outcomes

How can researchers access the equipment within this lab?

To gain access to the sleep laboratory there are procedures for training, ethics and project proposals. For the procedures please see the CHBH Operating Procedures and Local Rules.

What research data is produced and what can we understand from this?

The EEG system records ongoing brain activity from humans subjects whilst they perform cognitive tasks and whilst they sleep. The tasks we use include memory, motor skills and attention and language comprehension. This allows for characterising the brain dynamics – such as neuronal oscillations – associated with a given cognitive function. During sleep, EEG is used to monitor different sleep stages online and to investigate the role of slow oscillations and sleep spindles on behaviour. Researchers at the CHBH have strong expertise in investigating the role of neuronal oscillations.

How is this lab contributing to the CHBH values and principles?

The sleep laboratory is used for conducting fundamental research on cognition as well as to investigate brain dynamics associated with neurological and psychiatric disorders. The data from the sleep lab is complementary to data from other techniques housed within the CHBH. Therefore, we are combining EEG sleep research with other techniques such as brain stimulation, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and measures of structural connectivity. The research conducted in the sleep laboratory is done in the spirit of open science and we strive to make our approaches and data freely available.

For further information, please contact the CHBH Sleep Lab Lead - Professor Clare Anderson

External researchers/collaborators

If you are an external researcher and would like to use CHBH facilities, please identify a suitable collaborator from the Principal Investigator lists located on our CHBH Research Theme pages, and contact them directly with your proposal. They will then review the scope of the proposal, costings, and modality availability, and advise on a potential collaboration.