Sonia Jego, a PhD student in Psychiatry at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, is the award winner of the Fonds Santé, one of the three Fonds awards of the Fonds de recherche du Québec. Her Award-winning publication ‘Optogenetic identification of a rapid eye movement sleep modulatory circuit in the hypothalamus’ is published in Nature neuroscience, 2013.
Though 3.3 million Canadians suffer from sleep disorders, this vital function remains understudied. The research highlights how crucial MCH neurons are to the consolidation of REM sleep (or dream sleep) since they inhibit the structures that control awakening. The findings are all the more important since MCH neurons impact hypocretin neurons, which play a determining role in maintaining awakening since their degeneration leads to drowsiness and is believed to cause narcolepsy. The significant advancements made by Sonia Jego elucidate the function of this activity, which takes up one-third of our lives, and could lead to better treatment options for people grappling with sleep pathologies.
Read the full article here.
In addition to promoting research careers in Quebec, this competition recognizes the exceptional research contributions of college and university students (bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate), postdoctoral fellows and members of professional bodies who are enrolled in advanced research training programs in the areas covered by the three Fonds de recherche du Québec.
To learn more about the awards, click here.
May 15, 2014