Sweet dreams at Concordia
Even though we spend nearly a third of our lives asleep, when it comes to the causes, consequences and treatments of sleep disorders, little is known. That’s slowly changing, thanks to researchers like Concordia’s Thanh Dang-Vu.
Since arriving at the university a little over a year ago, the assistant professor in the Department of Exercise Science has been on a mission: to expand sleep research at the university and make sleep disorders — and their related treatments — better understood.
Dang-Vu, who’s also a researcher with both the Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology and the PERFORM Centre, has spent many years investigating sleep disorders, including during postdoctoral stints at Harvard University and Université de Montréal.
“In general, my research interests are focused on the interface between neuroimaging, sleep and neurology,” says Dang-Vu, who is a neurologist as well. “I want to take a closer look at how sleep and sleep disorders can affect the function of the brain, and what kind of consequences sleep disorders can have on various health outcomes.”
The importance of Dang-Vu’s research was recently recognized with a Petro-Canada Young Innovator Award, which honours outstanding emerging faculty members whose research is innovative, strengthens the learning environment within their department, and has the potential to be of significance to society. Each award, made possible by a generous endowment from Suncor Energy Inc., comes with a $10,000 research grant.
Dang-Vu plans to put that funding to good use as he embarks on a research project that looks at treatments for insomnia. “Ten per cent of Canadians suffer from insomnia,” he reports. “That’s a significant amount of the population but it’s still not clear what the brain mechanisms that cause insomnia are, and how patients will respond to treatment.”
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is increasingly used as a treatment method for those who suffer from insomnia. “This psychological treatment allows patients to better understand their sleep, to change their sleep habits, and to correct wrong beliefs about sleep that can lead to maintaining insomnia,” he says.
Yet CBT only works for half of those with chronic insomnia. “This new study is aimed at that other half, for whom a proper treatment has yet to be developed,” says Dang-Vu.
His pilot project targets local chronic insomnia sufferers. By providing a six-week CBT course accompanied by a close examination of related biomarkers, Dang-Vu hopes to pinpoint the part of the population that does not respond to CBT, and then develop targeted treatments for them.
Dang-Vu is actively recruiting participants. Although the project is currently in its infancy, he’s optimistic it will achieve meaningful results — good news for those looking for a good night’s sleep.
For more on Thanh Dang-Vu’s study, please email insomnia.concordia@gmail.com.
Related links:
• Thanh Dang-Vu's insomnia study
• Department of Health, Kinesiology & Applied Physiology
• Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology
• Thanh Dang-Vu's profile on Research @ Concordia
• “Recognizing young research innovators” — NOW, June 3, 2013 (Petro-Canada Young Innovator Awards)