Season 7 | Episode 10
Dr. Jared Saletin| GUEST
In this episode of Talking Sleep, host Dr. Seema Khosla welcomes Dr. Jared Saletin, a sleep researcher investigating the complex relationship between sleep and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
While ADHD diagnostic criteria don’t currently include sleep assessment, Dr. Saletin’s groundbreaking research reveals how sleep quality and timing may significantly impact attention, particularly in children. Through fMRI studies and clinical observations, he explores whether sleep loss exacerbates ADHD symptoms or might even present as ADHD-like behavior in some cases.
The conversation delves into fascinating questions: Are people with ADHD more sensitive to sleep deprivation? Can improving sleep habits reduce ADHD symptoms? How do common sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea intersect with attention disorders? Dr. Saletin shares practical strategies for protecting sleep in children with attention challenges, including potential educational accommodations.
Whether you’re a healthcare provider, parent, educator, or simply interested in understanding the sleep-attention connection, this episode offers valuable insights into how addressing sleep might be a crucial component in managing ADHD effectively.
Join us for this enlightening discussion as we explore how sleep might be a modifiable risk factor in ADHD, providing new hope for better management strategies.
Dr. Jared Saletin
Dr. Saletin is the Director of the Sleep and Circadian Methods Research Core, and Associate Director of the Sleep Research Laboratory at E.P. Bradley Hospital as well as an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University. He holds a PhD in Psychology from University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Saletin’s work investigates how sleep supports cognitive and brain function in child and adolescents with a focus on neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. His work is currently supported by an NICHD-sponsored R01 and investigates mechanisms of vulnerability and resilience to the effects insufficient sleep can have on attention and learning in adolescents. As the Director of a NIGMS-funded COBRE Research Core focused on sleep and circadian methodologies, he has been actively involved in disseminating best practices in sleep and circadian research while adapting methodologies and instrumentation to the unique needs of pediatric neurodevelopmental and psychiatric populations. In these efforts he seeks to make sleep and circadian measurement simultaneously robust and scalable.
Resources
- Ren J, Zhao X, Su C, Li X, Zhou J. ADHD in narcolepsy: A closer look at prevalence and ties. *Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.* 2024 Jan;156:105471. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105471. Epub 2023 Nov 28. PMID: 38030099.
