Research

We currently have several studies running in our lab, everything from large grant funded projects to smaller student generated ideas. Many of these studies are inter-related, bringing together several interests and team members. If you want to consider becoming a research participant in any of these studies, please go here to see all our studies currently seeking participants. If you want to consider joining a study as a team member, please contact the study lead or study coordinator by looking them up, here.

Current Studies

Sleep and Appetitive Conditioning

Learning processes are linked to the development of various psychological disorders, as are sleep disturbances. The aim of this project is to examine the impact of sleep disruption on appetitive conditioning and identify potential sleep mechanisms underlying the extinction of appetitive cues, as it relates to common psychological disorders. Participants are healthy adults or adults with insomnia and are asked to complete sleep monitoring and appetitive conditioning tasks on consecutive days. This study is led by Sean Drummond and coordinated by Eleni Kavaliotis.

Reasoning Probabilistically while Sleep Restricted (Project REPRISE)

Sleep loss has been shown to be detrimental for decision-making, but it is not clear how specific decision-making mechanisms falter under sleep loss and drive these impairments. This project examines decision-making under uncertainty, and seeks to clarify how certain cognitive parameters and strategies underlying probabilistic reasoning may be affected by chronic sleep restriction. Healthy participants are required to undergo 7 nights of 5h sleep opportunities, and on the final day, tested on three cognitive tasks measuring different aspects of decision-making. This study is led by Jeryl Lim.

The Sleep and Emotional Memories Study

Sleep plays a role in reducing intrusive memories, however the mechanisms underlying this role are not well understood. Utilising a well-established experimental analogue trauma exposure, this project is examining two proposed mechanisms explaining the benefits of sleep for reducing the frequency of intrusive memories: specifically, the effect of sleep on (1) memory consolidation and (2) executive control over spontaneous cognition. Healthy participants are required to watch a distressing film and are then allocated to a sleep or wake group, followed by completion of cognitive tasks and recording of intrusive memories over the next 5 days. This study is led by Jessica Ogden. For more information, check out the website: sites.google.com/monash.edu/sem-project. To express interest in participating, click here.

Sleep-related Mechanisms of Vulnerability for Trauma-related Disorders

Sleep disturbances are a major risk factor for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after experiencing a traumatic event. Despite this, the mechanisms underlying the way in which poor sleep contributes to the development of PTSD are not well understood. One potential mechanism involves changes in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which may increase risk for trauma-related disorders by impacting fear inhibition processes critical for trauma recovery. This project aims to test this potential mechanism by investigating the role of REM sleep in fear extinction and safety signal recall using two models of sleep disruption: (1) Circadian misalignment - an operationally-relevant model of sleep disturbance seen in populations at high risk for trauma exposure (i.e., shift workers in emergency services); (2) Insomnia disorder - a clinically-relevant model of sleep disturbance often seen in individuals with PTSD. This project is led by Vivien Vuong.

Investigating the effect of cognitive behaviour therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) in individuals with comorbid insomnia and sleep apnoea (COMISA)

Insomnia and obstructive sleep apnoea are the two most common sleep conditions globally. Interestingly, these disorders frequently co-occur with 40% of individuals who experience either insomnia or OSA also experience the other. Coined COMISA (Comorbid insomnia and obstructive sleep apnoea), these individuals are at risk of poorer long term physical and mental health consequences. This study is investigating whether the gold standard treatment for insomnia, cognitive behaviour therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is effective in individuals with COMISA at not only improving insomnia, but also OSA severity. This study involves participants completing a 7-week CBT-I program with an overnight sleep study before and after the intervention. This project aims to develop a clearer picture of the underlying mechanisms which link insomnia and OSA, and in doing so identify new therapeutic targets. This project is led by Elliot Brooker

Recently Completed Studies

Australian Research on Insomnia, Stress & Emotions (Project ARISE)

This project looked at the relationships between insomnia, stress and emotions. Individuals with insomnia enrolled in a free 7-week course of treatment, and participated in sleep and emotion-based testing sessions before and after treatment. This study was led by Sean Drummond and coordinated by Dr. Alix Mellor.

Remembering Emotional Memories during Sleep

This project examined the role sleep plays in basic fear processes related to development, maintenance, and treatment of PTSD and anxiety disorders. Healthy adults lived in the lab for 4 nights and days and either slept normally, or have their sleep schedules changed on two nights. They underwent a startle test on several days to measure the fear system. This study is was by Sean Drummond and coordinated by Dr. Jacob Clark.

Researching Effective Sleep Treatments (Project REST)

This project is testing a new non-pharmacological intervention for Chronic Insomnia. Specifically, we are testing if a bedpartner can help the individual with insomnia to more closely follow the treatment recommendations. Individuals with insomnia and their partners enrol in a 7-week course of treatment, where both people attend every treatment session and the partner learns how to help the individual with insomnia closely follow treatment recommendations. This is the first time a “partner-assisted” intervention has been tested in insomnia. This study is led by Sean Drummond and coordinated by Alix Mellor.

Refugees slEep and trAuma Care Research (REACH)

This is a multi-part PhD thesis project examining sleep in refugees who have arrived in Australia over the last few years. We are measuring sleep in both treatment-seeking refugees and those living in the community with no specific sleep complaints. We are examining the associations between sleep and mental health and how this may change over time. The study is led and coordinated by July Lies.

BASE Decision Study

This project examines the impact of Sleep Restriction (getting insufficient amounts of sleep for several nights in a row) and circadian disruption (going to bed and waking up 4 hours earlier than normal) on several kinds of decision making. Healthy participants live in the lab for 4 nights and days, where we test decision making and other aspects of cognition. This study is led by Sean Drummond and coordinated by Michelle Bravo. For more information, check out the website: https://decisionstudy.com/

The Impact of Sleep Loss on Performance Monitoring and Error-monitoring

This project examines whether sleep deprived individuals can accurately recognise errors and performance deficits. This question is currently being examined in three separate studies: (1) a total sleep deprivation study (no sleep for one night); (2) a chronic sleep restriction study (multiple days of 3 hours sleep), and; a circadian misalignment study (normal sleep on a different schedule). This study is led by Johanna Boardman.

PTSD-relevant factors which contribute to mouse-models of fear inhibition: sex, sleep and circadian rhythms

This PhD project examines the influence of PTSD-relevant factors (sex differences, circadian disruption, and pharmcological REM sleep modulation) on mouse models of fear inhibition (fear extinction and safety learning). This project is part of a collaboration between Monash University, The University of Melbourne, and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health. This study is led and coordinated by Jacob Clark.

Honours Projects

Every year, honours students bring energy and exciting ideas to the team. This year’s projects will be listed soon.