Sleep-disordered Breathing In Pregnancy-induced Hypertension And Preeclampsia: Maternal And Fetal Outcomes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$129,559.00
Summary
Our study aims to compare signs of sleep-disordered breathing (such as snoring and breathing pauses) in pregnant women affected by hypertension or preeclampsia to those with a healthy pregnancy, and to see if they respond differently to the breathing problems. To do this we will examine whether snoring and breathing pauses during sleep have an impact on the pregnant woman’s blood pressure and the unborn baby’s heart rate overnight, and scans will monitor whether the baby’s growth is affected.
Improving The Prediction And Detection Of Contributors To Term Stillbirth
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$570,358.00
Summary
Stillbirths are a global human tragedy, with 1 in 130 of all pregnancies in Australia ending in stillbirth. We propose to use ultrasound and blood markers to improve the detection of babies who are not growing well, a leading risk factor for stillbirth. Sleep position has also been associated with stillbirth, so we will study fetal heart rate responses during an overnight sleep study to see if breathing events overnight may be an important contributor to stillbirth in growth restricted fetuses.
Addressing Therapeutic Challenges In Sleep Disorders
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$851,980.00
Summary
The aim of this fellowship is to improve the health and well-being of Australians by reducing the burden of sleep and disorders that disrupt the body clock such as shift work. My program will involve different fields of research combining their efforts together to understand more about sleep apnea and insomnia, the two most common sleep disorders. By this strategy, better treatment for sleep disorders will be found with particular impact on our aging population
Upper Airway Dilator Muscle Activity During Sleep Onset.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$211,320.00
Summary
Disorders of breathing during sleep are recognised as a major health problem. Of these, Obstructive Sleep Apnoea is the most prevalent, occurring in approximately 4% of the male and 2% of the female population. In this disorder the upper airway collapses during sleep causing cessation of airflow and subsequent oxygen desaturation. The airway is thought to occlude because dilator muscles are unable to sustain patency in the face of the negative pressures generated by inspiratory effort. In order ....Disorders of breathing during sleep are recognised as a major health problem. Of these, Obstructive Sleep Apnoea is the most prevalent, occurring in approximately 4% of the male and 2% of the female population. In this disorder the upper airway collapses during sleep causing cessation of airflow and subsequent oxygen desaturation. The airway is thought to occlude because dilator muscles are unable to sustain patency in the face of the negative pressures generated by inspiratory effort. In order for patency of the airway to be re-established some form of arousal from sleep must occur . As the UA is likely to collapse on the resumption of sleep, the cycle becomes repetitive, causing significant sleep disruption. OSA is a significant health risk, being associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disorders, increased mortality, excessive daytime sleepiness, reduced daytime performance and increased risk of accidents. In previous work we have demonstrated that normal sleep related changes in the activity of upper airway dilator muscles result in a reduction in the calibre of the airway at sleep onset. This exposes some individuals, such as those with narrow airways, to airway obstruction during sleep. We have also reported that elderly men have larger reductions in upper airway muscle activity at sleep onset than younger men, suggesting one reason why they may have a higher prevalence for Obstructive Sleep Apnea. The aim of the present project is to determine what causes the larger reductions in upper airway muscle activity in older males. The answer to this question will contribute to understanding why this group is so susceptible to Obstructive Sleep Apnea and will elucidate the mechanisms leading to the disorder.Read moreRead less
Alternatives To Polysomnography For Children With Suspected Obstructive Sleep Apnoea.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$357,613.00
Summary
Snoring is the cardinal symptom of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), a major health issue in childhood with significant impacts on cognition, behaviour and cardiovascular health. Approximately 35% of children snore but only about 10% of those have OSA. Defining OSA in a snoring child requires polysomnography, a technically challenging and expensive test. In this study we will examine a number of simple tests for their predictive power for OSA, developing a tool that will enable clinicians to diagn ....Snoring is the cardinal symptom of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), a major health issue in childhood with significant impacts on cognition, behaviour and cardiovascular health. Approximately 35% of children snore but only about 10% of those have OSA. Defining OSA in a snoring child requires polysomnography, a technically challenging and expensive test. In this study we will examine a number of simple tests for their predictive power for OSA, developing a tool that will enable clinicians to diagnose OSA without the need for polysomnography.Read moreRead less
The Influence Of Sleep On The Behaviour Of The Upper Airway Muscles, Genioglossus And Tensor Palatini
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$295,880.00
Summary
The human airway has limited bone or cartilage support and muscular activity is required to keep the airway open. Central activation of these muscles is reduced during sleep, resulting in the disorder Obstructive Sleep Apnoea. Potential treatments include pharmocological or electrical stimulation of upper airway muscles. However, this is hampered by a lack of understanding of the control of upper airway muscles. This project will study two critical muscles, genioglossus and tensor palatini.
Regulatory Control Of The Upper Airway Muscle Genioglossus During Sleep
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$329,855.00
Summary
Difficulty breathing during sleep is a major health problem. Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is the most frequently occurring of these disorders, being found in approximately 4% of males and 2% of females. In OSA the upper airway (UA) collapses during sleep preventing airflow and causing a fall in oxygen levels in the blood. The airway collapses because during sleep muscles in the UA are unable to offset the negative pressure generated within the airway by the effort of inspiring. If the negative ....Difficulty breathing during sleep is a major health problem. Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is the most frequently occurring of these disorders, being found in approximately 4% of males and 2% of females. In OSA the upper airway (UA) collapses during sleep preventing airflow and causing a fall in oxygen levels in the blood. The airway collapses because during sleep muscles in the UA are unable to offset the negative pressure generated within the airway by the effort of inspiring. If the negative pressure is too great and the airway collapses the person has to wake up to reopen the airway. As the UA collapses again on the return of sleep, the cycle becomes repetitive, causing sleep disruption. OSA is a significant health risk causing heart disorders, increased mortality, daytime sleepiness, reduced daytime performance and increased risk of accidents. OSA is due to two interacting factors. First, people with a narrow airway have to generate a greater negative pressure during inspiration. Second, and critically, sleep reduces activity in the UA muscles. The importance of this sleep effect is indicated by the observation that OSA patients do not obstruct while awake. Thus, a respiratory abnormality during sleep is a necessary component of the disorder. However, progress in understanding motor control of UA muscles has been slow. We argue that this is in part because research has concentrated on analysing the activity of the UA muscles, rather than measuring the individual motor units that make up the muscles. In this project we propose to investigate the sleep related activity of individual motor units in the UA muscle, genioglossus (GG). GG plays a critical role in the UA as it keeps the tongue from collapsing backwards into the airway. We anticipate that this approach will provide insights into motor control of the tongue and the role of GG in the development of OSA.Read moreRead less