My research interests include the interface of sleep and epilepsy, clinical sleep medicine, and cognitive neurophysiology.

I am especially interested in the impact of co-morbid obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on epilepsy patients. Previous research has suggested that OSA may worsen seizure frequency and that treatment of OSA with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may effectively reduce seizures. We are interested in determining whether OSA also influences aspects of the interictal state including mood disorders, susceptibility to antiepileptic drug adverse effects, and quality of life in epilepsy. This year we are preparing to begin a large, intramurally funded prospective study to analyze the impact of OSA in epilepsy outpatients on seizure frequency and crucial interictal state factors, in collaboration with the Mayo Epilepsy Division.

Current ongoing retrospective clinical research projects include an analysis of cyclic alternating pattern (CAP) NREM sleep patterns in complex sleep apnea syndrome, a survey-based analysis of treatment outcomes in REM sleep behavior disorder, and an exploration of sleep-related symptoms in patients with myotonic dystrophy type 2.

The Human Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory will also soon begin operation in the Center for Sleep Medicine, supported by the Mayo Annenberg Heart-Lung Theme Career Development Award. Our pilot research will focus on cognitive impairment in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Our broad interests are in the elucidation of quantitative neural cognitive processing, particularly the analysis of covert cognitive processes including attention and error processing in neurological disorders and the normal brain. The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory is committed toward interdisciplinary research with Mayo and extramural researchers in the disciplines of sleep medicine, neurology, psychology, psychiatry, neurosurgery, and other clinical and basic neurosciences. We are seeking possibilities for new collaborations.