Paula Williams Receives Neuroscience Initiative Pilot Grant

Paula Williams, Associate Professor

Renewal of 2015 Neuroscience Initiative Collaborative Pilot Project

Awarded from: The University of Utah Neuroscience Initiative

Grant title: "Examination of Neurobehavioral and Neurophysiological Mechanisms Underlying Habitual Short Sleep Duration"

Paula Williams, along with Co-PIs Jeff Anderson in Neuroradiology and Chris Jones in Neurology, received another year of funding from the University of Utah Neuroscience Initiative Collaborative Pilot Project.  The study examines phenotypic (personality, temperament) and endophenotypic (brain functional connectivity, tonic EEG-assessed neurophysiologic arousal, resting psychophysiology, cognitive functioning) characteristics of individuals who routinely sleep less than 6 hours a night.  The competitive renewal added pain sensitivity testing and driving simulator assessments to the research protocol.  Co-investigators include Matt Euler, Yana Suchy, and Dave Strayer (Psychology) and Akiko Okifuji (Anesthesiology).