Doctoral Student's Sleep-Cognition Study Uncovers Insights into Mental Health
Olivia Larson, a doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania, has recently defended her dissertation exploring the intricate relationship between sleep and cognitive functioning in mental health. Her work, spanning three studies, delves into the effects of sleep enhancement, loss, and disturbance on cognition in psychopathology.
Larson's interest in sleep research was sparked during her time working in a lab studying sleep in patients with schizophrenia. Her dissertation builds upon this fascination, investigating whether sleep problems can exacerbate symptoms of psychiatric disorders and exploring potential techniques to modify sleep patterns.
One of her studies found striking similarities in cognitive deficits between individuals with and without depression following sleep deprivation. Another study examined whether sleep mediates the association between poor mental health and cognitive performance in Army soldiers. Additionally, a third study explored the effects of cueing negative memories with sound during a nap.
Larson, currently in her final year of Penn's clinical psychology program, is conducting clinical rotations at Penn Medicine in women's behavioral health and wellness, consultation liaison psychiatry, and pain. Her personal interest in sleep, coupled with her robust research, contributes significantly to the understanding of the interplay between sleep and memory in mental health.
