Research Methods

We specialize in sleep stage scoring and offer training for young scientists and clinicians in this method. Sleep staging involves classifying sleep into distinct stages—such as wakefulness, light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep—using physiological signals like brain activity, eye movement, and muscle tone, recorded through polysomnography.

Electroencephalography (EEG) captures the brain's electrical activity non-invasively, providing insights into brain structure and function. By analyzing brain activity during both sleep and wakefulness, we explore the brain's workings in health and disease. Our research focuses on high-density sleep EEG recordings to create detailed topographical maps of brain activity.

Actigraphy involves a wrist-worn device, similar to a watch, that tracks sleep and wake cycles based on motion. These devices can be worn continuously to monitor sleep-wake behavior over extended periods, ranging from months to years.

Using mobile applications, we measure behavioral and emotional states multiple times per day in real-world environments. This method allows us to capture real-time data on experiences, moods, and behaviors, providing a comprehensive understanding of participants' natural patterns.

We employ advanced time-series, signal processing, and statistical techniques to analyze the data we collect. These methods help us decode complex signals and gain insights into the developmental and neurological processes underlying sleep and circadian rhythms.