Home
Institution
Universität Witten/Herdecke
Host
Institution(s)
Sleep Disorders & Research Center, V.A. Medical Center & Baylor College
of Medicine, Houston, Texas
Mentor: Max Hirshkowitz, Ph.D., ABSM (American Board of Sleep Medicine);
Director, VAMC Sleep Research Center
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is the most common sleep related breathing disorder. Excessive daytime sleepiness is the principle symptom of OSA. Neuropsychological investigations reveal individuals with OSA often have multiple deficits in functions such as memory, planning, regulation and verification of goal-directed behavior. These abilities are considered features of executive functions. The study has two main objectives. The first is to determine if treatment OSA with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) improves neuropsychological functions (especially focusing on executive functions). The second is to understand the role of sleepiness in the neuropsychological function. We will compare performance in neuropsychological testing before and after CPAP treatment in 32 patients with OSA who are randomly assigned to treated or untreated groups for 2 weeks.
There are two things concerning my research project I would like to mention: (1) According to the study design, I need subjects who are willing (and able) to spend on two occasions between 7 and 8 hours with me to do the battery of tests (in addition to the diagnostic routine). This is a long time, and they are not getting paid for it. Yet there are patients at the Veterans Affairs Hospital (VA) who participate in my study. That is remarkable although this VA hospital has quite an academic atmosphere (famous people working and doing research here). (2) As clinical research is established here - and especially at my sleep research center - people are used to working as a team. I find this experience very impressive as well. Therefore I won't be leaving this place having collected many ideas of how to do it in a different/better way, but although it might sound contradictory, I cannot think of a better place to be. I was very lucky to have found it and especially the people here as they are the ones who stimulate and challenge!
Getting the IAP 66 from the host institution in time in order to get the J-1 visa. My experience: Three weeks before I was to leave for U.S., I did not have the IAP 66 form (and I could not figure out where the problem was and/or where it got stuck) and five days before leaving Germany I was still without my passport!
(1) If you plan to do an elective, especially at a high ranking medical school, try to get the approval for it WELL in advance. (2) Concerning your schedule, expect that your schedule might need some kind of adjustment and that you may have to extend your stay in the U.S. in order to complete your study. (3) Money: U.S. is an expensive place, even at "inexpensive" places. (4) One does not walk or ride a bicycle over here; one drives