Viewing Hypersomnias through the Lens of Myotonic Dystrophy

The improving the lives of people living with

Our DNA is the genetic code that our cells use to instruct them in how to make proteins, when and where to make them, and how much protein to make.

The code is contained in the specific order in which

Unrefreshing sleep despite long duration of their major sleep periods

DM1 has a known genetic cause, so it gives researchers a solid place from which to start unraveling the mystery of pervasive sleep in IH. Moreover, the key group of DM1 scientists is substantial, and animal models for DM1 exist. Therefore, this offers a wonderful leveraging opportunity for two disease communities to assist one another. And funding from the Marigold Foundation is making this opportunity a reality. In September 2017, Emory University (Drs. David Rye, Andrew Jenkins and Gary Bassell) and University of Florida (Drs. Eric Wang and Maurice Swanson) researchers began interdisciplinary, patient-centered, collaborative investigations of hypersomnia as seen through the lens of DM1. The knowledge to be gained promises to be substantial and directly relevant to the development of novel diagnostic approaches and treatments for idiopathic hypersomnia and related disorders.

What Have We Learned So Far?

In looking for biologies shared by IH and DM1 patients, researchers did not have to wander far. One node of commonality that was quickly appreciated was centered upon By Abigail Piccolo, BS, and David Rye, MD, PhD, Chairperson,

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