Westchester, Ill. – Recent studies have linked sleep loss and sleep disorders to health problems such as depression, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and stroke. The latest findings in sleep research will be presented and discussed by more than 6,500 scientists and sleep specialists when the SLEEP 2009 23rdAnnual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies convenes at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle, Wash., from June 8 to 11.

More than 1,300 research abstracts will be presented at SLEEP 2009. The scientific program also includes symposia, clinical workshops and discussion groups on topics ranging from neuroscience and genetics to dreams, sleep deprivation and aging. Clinical sleep specialists will discuss current practices in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders such as insomnia, narcolepsy, and sleep apnea.
 
During the plenary session on Monday morning, June 8, Howard P. Roffwarg, MD, will deliver the keynote address on “Participation of REM Sleep in the Development of the Brain: Starting Hypothesis, Unfnewing Data, Current Perspective.” 
 
After the plenary session the exhibit hall will open, featuring booth displays from more than 125 pharmaceutical companies, equipment manufacturers, medical publishers, software companies, professional organizations and schools. 
 
The Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC is a partnership of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society. In addition to organizing SLEEP 2009, the APSS also publishes SLEEP, a monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal.
 
The SLEEP 2009 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies is open to the media. To register for a press pass, to schedule interviews, or for more information, contact public relations coordinator Kelly Wagner at (708) 492-0930 ext. 9331 or kwagner@aasm.org. Please register by Friday, May 29, 2009. 
 
SLEEP 2009 Highlights
  • Dates:  Monday, June 8, to Thursday, June 11
  • Location:  Washington State Convention and Trade Center, 800 Convention Place
  • Attendees:  More than 6,500 sleep scientists, sleep specialists, allied health professionals and students
  • Scientific Program:  More than 1,300 abstract presentations and 78 open sessions
  • Exhibit Hall:  More than 150 exhibits from industry leaders in pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, publications and software
  • Plenary Session:  Monday, June 8, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
  • Keynote Address:  “Participation of REM Sleep in the Development of the Brain: Starting Hypothesis, Unfnewing Data, Current Perspective” by Dr. Howard P. Roffwarg, professor of psychiatry and human behavior and director of the Departmental Division of Sleep Medicine at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
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