WESTCHESTER, Ill.— Mark W. Mahowald, MD, and Carlos H. Schenck, MD, renowned experts on parasomnias, were recently named the recipients of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s (AASM) William C. Dement Award for 2007.
“Mark Mahowald and Carlos Schenck are both tremendous assets to the field of sleep medicine. They have accomplished a great deal in the 25 years they have worked together, including the identification and naming of numerous parasomnias, as well as research into the sleep disorders that fall under this category,” said Alejandro D. Chediak, MD, new AASM president. “The William Dement Award recognizes the leadership that Drs. Mahowald and Schenck have demonstrated throughout their decorated careers in sleep medicine. I congratulate them on this accomplishment and thank them for their ongoing contributions to the field of sleep medicine.”
Drs. Mahowald and Schenck will be presented with the award at SLEEP 2007, the 21st Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS), to take place from June 11-14 in Minneapolis, Minn.
Mark W. Mahowald, MD, is medical director of the Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders Center at Hennepin County Medical Center. He is also a professor of neurology at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Mahowald’s primary interest is in education of medical students, residents and fellows, with particular reference to promoting the concept of a truly multidisciplinary sleep medicine program. His clinical research interests include parasomnias, state dissociation and forensic sleep medicine, emphasizing the importance of close collaboration between clinicians and basic scientists.
Dr. Mahowald will deliver the keynote speech at SLEEP 2007 entitled, “Listening to a Tinkering God — Opportunities for Sleep Medicine.”
He received a medical degree from the Universityof Minnesota, where he also completed a residency in neurology.
Carlos H. Schenck, MD, is a member of the AASM nosology committee. He is an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota, a senior staff psychiatrist at the Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders Center. Dr. Schenck’s research interests include parasomnias such as sleep terrors, sleepwalking, dream-enactment, sleep violence, sleep-related eating disorder and sleep paralysis.
Dr. Schenck recently wrote and published Sleep: The Mysteries, The Problems, and The Solutions. His first book, Sleep Runners: The Stories Behind Everyday Parasomnias, was published in 2005. Dr. Schenck co-produced and participated in a documentary film on parasomnias entitled Sleep Runners: The Stories Behind Everyday Parasomnias.
He received his medical degree from the State University of New York and completed a residency in psychiatry at the University of Minnesota.
Drs. Mahowald and Schenck identified and named REM sleep behavior disorder, status dissociatus, parasomnia overlap disorder, sleep-related eating disorder and sleep-related dissociative disorders. In addition, they described parasomnia pseudo-suicide and parasomnia with state-dependent danger as a non-insane automatism, as well as formulated the first classification of sleep disorders and abnormal sexual behaviors and experiences, which will appear in the June 1 issue of the journal SLEEP.
Drs. Mahowald and Schenck have studied sleep disorders together since 1982.
Established in 1994, the William C. Dement Academic Achievement Award recognizes members of the sleep field who have displayed exceptional initiative and progress in the areas of sleep education and academic research.
The award’s namesake, William C. Dement, MD, PhD, is one of the nation’s leading sleep researchers. His extensive publication of research, work with REM sleep and development of the Multiple Sleep Latency Test greatly advanced the sleep medicine field. The William C. Dement Academic Achievement Award embodies the pursuit of knowledge, a commitment to teaching, and an unceasing quest to disseminate truth.
SLEEP 2007 is a four-day scientific meeting that will feature an international body of over 5,000 leading researchers and clinicians in the field of sleep medicine.
More than 1,000 research abstracts will be presented at SLEEP 2007, a joint venture of the AASM and the Sleep Research Society. SLEEP 2007 will bring to light new findings that enhance the understanding of the processes of sleep and aid the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders such as insomnia, narcolepsy and sleep apnea.
AASM is a professional membership organization dedicated to the advancement of sleep medicine and sleep-related research.
CONTACT:
Jim Arcuri
(708)492-0930, ext. 9317
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