The Mind Unmasked

Research often focuses on how to prevent stroke, and how to save someone's life when they have one. However, less is focused on how can we make sure that life saved is a life worth living. We spend a third of our lives sleeping, but often overlook the importance it plays in regulating our mind and body. Over half of all stroke survivors will meet criteria for a sleep disorder, but why is this? What is it like to live with insomnia after a stroke? How do we identify those who need help? And how do we go about helping them?

Inflammation occurs when the immune system responds to an insult. When you cut your hand, you can see the swelling, but when your brain is inflammed, there is no physical sign. Yet recent work has shown a clear link between immune activation and psychiatric illnesses such as depression. My talk will explain what is known so far, and describe ongoing research to study this topic.

Increasing evidence suggests that poor sleep – both in quality and quantity – may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. But why? Understanding the mechanisms behind this connection could help shape future prevention strategies, therapeutics, and public health policies. Therefore, we have been exploring how immune cells in the brain, called microglia, change during sleep and wake states and how these changes might be disrupted in Alzheimer’s disease. In my talk, I will highlight what we already know about microglia functions during sleep and what we have discovered.