Ricerca CentriSleePsyLabResearch

Research

• Psoriasis and sleep: an integrated clinical and cognitive approach (PRIN2022 MUR - D.D. n.104 del 02/02/2022)

 

This multicenter study (Department of Mental and Physical Health and Preventive Medicine and Department of Psychology - University of Campania L. Vanvitelli; Department of Health Sciences, Section of Dermatology, University of Florence) aims to investigate the relationship between psoriasis and sleep. Psoriasis is among the most common dermatological pathologies, with a prevalence of about 2-4% in the general population. It is considered a systemic disease because of its complex pathogenesis and multiple comorbidities, among which sleep impairments appear to play a crucial, albeit underestimated, role. Indeed, sleep disruption is reported in up to 85% of psoriatic patients and prevalence of inadequate sleep is remarkably higher among individuals with psoriasis compared to the general population. However, despite the wide literature produced on the topic, a clear characterization of sleep disruption in psoriasis is still lacking. The main purpose of this project is to perform an in-depth analysis of sleep through both actigraphic and polysomnographic recordings analyzing, in addition to classical sleep quantitative variables, a set of measures which have shown to more accurately describe sleep quality and to sustain sleep-dependent learning processes (i.e., sleep continuity, stability and cyclic organization variables). A second target is to assess cognitive functioning in psoriatic patients compared to non-psoriatic poor and good sleepers, investigating associations between performance and sleep quality. Finally, the project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of non-pharmacological treatments to improve sleep and quality of life in these patients.

 

• Sleep and memory

 

Sleep plays a pivotal role in memory consolidation, especially for declarative memory. While there is extensive research on sleep’s impact on simple declarative materials, such as word lists, its effect on more complex and ecological stimuli, such as narrative passages, remains less studied. Prose memory represents a long-term declarative memory that involves the ability to remember the content of text materials of varying length and complexity. This type of memory is frequently engaged in everyday life, especially in educational contexts. Our laboratory is currently undertaking research aimed at elucidating the role of sleep in the consolidation of prose memory traces. This investigation extends beyond theoretical knowledge to consider the potential applied implications arising from the study’s findings.

 

 

• Non-pharmacological interventions to improve sleep quality

 

Another area of interest for the laboratory concerns the implementation of behavioural and cognitive-based interventions aimed at improving sleep features (e.g., sleep continuity, stability and cyclic organization) as well as perceived sleep quality in poor sleepers. These interventions encompass a range of techniques designed to target psychological factors contributing to sleep disturbances. Specifically, they are based on the principles of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (e.g., stimulus control, sleep restriction, sleep hygiene, cognitive restructuring, relaxation techniques) and on presleep cognitive activity sessions. In particular, the use of a self-administered bedtime cognitive task as a behavioural treatment option could represent a low-cost and easily accessible alternative treatment when classical structured therapy protocols are difficult to implement.