Brain to Society

Leader: Dr. Laurette Dubé

Brain to Society (btS), which is part of McGill’s World Platform for Health and Economic Convergence, is a multidisciplinary group that seeks to study non-communicable chronic diseases such as obesity. BtS is based on the notion that the brain and other biological systems at the individual level interact with larger social systems, such as education, agriculture, urban planning, and the media, to create environments that either foster healthy or unhealthy lifestyles. This model views all of these multi-level, multi-modal factors as part of the same complex system that needs a serious shift in order to combat the obesity epidemic and instil healthy eating habits for the population. Reut Gruber is a collaborator on the project for her expertise regarding sleep research with children.

The Maternal Adversity Vulnerability and Neurodevelopment (MAVAN) Study

Leader: Michael Meaney, PhD

MAVAN is project that investigates the effects of parental care (including prenatal care) on child development. It is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and is composed of a group of interdisciplinary researchers from all across the country. The MAVAN group focuses on the complex relationship between genetics and the environment involved in maternal stress. It also aims to delineate more effective ways for at-risk mothers and babies to adapt to their environment and foster adaptive lifestyles.

The association between fatigue and autistic symptoms in children with Cri-du-Chat Syndrome

Leader: Dr. Kim Cornish

Cri-du-Chat Syndrome (CDCS) occurs every 1 in 37, 000 live births and confers profound learning disabilities, dysmorphic facial features, language problems, and autism-type behavioral problems. Named for their distinct cat-like cry at birth, individuals with CDCS who also present with sleep difficulties may exhibit more autistic symptoms and at a greater severity level than other individuals with CDCS. We hypothesize that individuals with elevated fatigue levels will demonstrate a greater number of autistic symptoms, regardless of a CDCS diagnosis, and that the children with a diagnosis of CDCS and high fatigue level have the greatest vulnerability to the expression of autistic symptoms. Reut Gruber is a collaborator on the project for her expertise regarding sleep and children.

Sleep and tolerability (SAT) of extended release dexmethylphenidate (DMPH) ys. mixed amphetamine salts (MAS): A double blind, placebo-controlled study

Leader: Dr. Mark Stein

The goal of this project is to determine the sleep effects and tolerability of DMPH vs. MAS in older children and adolescents with ADHD using actigraphs and sleep diaries. We hypothesize that at effective and frequently prescribed doses, MAS will be associated with insomnia, more stimulant side effects, and decreased tolerability during an acute trial relative to DMPH. We will directly compare these two long acting stimulant medications on their side effect profile and tolerability, inc1uding measures of sleep, mood, and evening behaviour. Reut Gruber is a collaborator on the project for her expertise regarding sleep research and children.

Intra-individual variability in dim-light melatonin onset (DLMO) in adults with ADHD and delayed sleep phase syndrome

Leaders: Drs. Femke Kruithof and Sandra Kooij (in The Hague)

The main objective of the study is to determine the relationship between delayed DLMO in adults with ADHD and delayed sleep phase syndrome compared to a group of healthy persons. The second objective is to determine intra-individual variability in the group of participants with a delayed DLMO. Reut Gruber is a collaborator on the project for her expertise in sleep research with children.

Do you see the light? Bright light therapy for delayed sleep phase syndrome in children with ADHD

Leader: Kristiaan B. van der Heijden (Leiden University, The Netherlands)

The goals of this study are to examine the impact of delayed sleep phase syndrome on school functioning and to determine the impact of Bright Light Therapy on sleep onset, sleep duration, and neurocognitive function in school-age children. Reut Gruber is a collaborator on the project for her expertise in sleep research with children.

Sleep and ADHD in India

Leader: Dr. Manju Mehta

This project is a cross-cultural collaboration between Reut Gruber's ABS lab and Dr. Manju Mehta, Professor of Clinical Psychology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). We plan to examine the relationship between sleep duration, ADHD, and neurobehavioural function in Indian children. This project gives us an opportunity to contribute our lab's expertise in sleep and ADHD in North American children to studies in a new sociocultural setting, and to expand our understanding of the interaction between sleep and neurobehavioural function through Dr. Mehta's established clinical and research expertise in Indian populations. Our lab will provide her researchers with established tools such as questionnaires and objective sleep measures, and will score these measures to provide Dr. Mehta's lab with usable data for their scientific inquiries. Reut Gruber is a collaborator on the project for her expertise in sleep research with children.