William C. Dement
Encyclopedia
William Charles Dement is a pioneering US
sleep
researcher, and founder of the Sleep Research Center, the world's first sleep laboratory, at Stanford University
. He is a leading authority on sleep, sleep deprivation
, and the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorder
s such as sleep apnea
and narcolepsy
. For this pioneering work in a previously uncharted field, he is sometimes referred to as the Father of Sleep Medicine.
, he was the first to intensively study the connection between rapid eye movement and dream
ing. His fellow student Eugene Aserinsky
had mentioned to him that "Dr. Kleitman
and I think these eye movements might be related to dreaming". Aserinsky, along with his and Dement's adviser Nathaniel Kleitman
, had previously noticed the connection but hadn't considered it very interesting. Dement had an interest in psychiatry
, which in those days considered dreams to be important, so he was excited by the discovery and was eager to pursue it. He began his work in sleep deprivation at Mount Sinai Hospital
in the late 1950s – the early 1960s. He was among the first researchers to study sleeping subjects with the electroencephalogram (EEG), and he wrote "I believe that the study of sleep became a true scientific field in 1953, when I finally was able to make all-night, continuous recordings of brain and eye activity during sleep." Studying these recordings, he discovered and named the five stages of sleep. In collaboration with Dr. Christian Guilleminault
, Dement proposed the measure that is still used for the clinical definition of sleep apnea and the rating of its severity, the Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI)
.
Dement, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine
, taught the large and popular "Sleep and Dreams" course at Stanford from 1971 until 2003. Due to popular demand he decided to teach the class again in 2006 and has continued to teach till this very day. Dement has been spending a great deal of time focusing on spreading information about the danger of driving when drowsy and obstructive sleep apnea
.
In 1975 he launched the American Sleep Disorders Association, now known as the American Academy of Sleep Medicine
, and served as president for its first twelve years. In that same year he and Mary Carskadon
invented the Multiple Sleep Latency Test
used to measure sleepiness, a test of how quickly people fall asleep, sleep onset latency
, during several daytime opportunities.
He was also chairman of the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research, whose final report led directly to the creation of a new agency within the National Institutes of Health
, the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research.
Dement is the author of numerous books, including The Promise of Sleep and The Sleepwatchers, and has written the first undergraduate textbook in the field.
At the start of his academic career, he was a jazz musician and played bass. While at the University of Washington he jammed with Quincy Jones, a time during which he also befriended Ray Charles. During the late 80s, while at Stanford, he was known to have played, on at least one occasion, with artist-in-residence, Stan Getz.
He lives with his family in northern California
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sleep
Sleep
Sleep is a naturally recurring state characterized by reduced or absent consciousness, relatively suspended sensory activity, and inactivity of nearly all voluntary muscles. It is distinguished from quiet wakefulness by a decreased ability to react to stimuli, and is more easily reversible than...
researcher, and founder of the Sleep Research Center, the world's first sleep laboratory, at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. He is a leading authority on sleep, sleep deprivation
Sleep deprivation
Sleep deprivation is the condition of not having enough sleep; it can be either chronic or acute. A chronic sleep-restricted state can cause fatigue, daytime sleepiness, clumsiness and weight loss or weight gain. It adversely affects the brain and cognitive function. Few studies have compared the...
, and the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorder
Sleep disorder
A sleep disorder, or somnipathy, is a medical disorder of the sleep patterns of a person or animal. Some sleep disorders are serious enough to interfere with normal physical, mental and emotional functioning...
s such as sleep apnea
Sleep apnea
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by abnormal pauses in breathing or instances of abnormally low breathing, during sleep. Each pause in breathing, called an apnea, can last from a few seconds to minutes, and may occur 5 to 30 times or more an hour. Similarly, each abnormally low...
and narcolepsy
Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder, or dyssomnia, characterized by excessive sleepiness and sleep attacks at inappropriate times, such as while at work. People with narcolepsy often experience disturbed nocturnal sleep and an abnormal daytime sleep pattern, which often is confused with insomnia...
. For this pioneering work in a previously uncharted field, he is sometimes referred to as the Father of Sleep Medicine.
Biography
In the 1950s as a medical student at the University of ChicagoUniversity of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, he was the first to intensively study the connection between rapid eye movement and dream
Dream
Dreams are successions of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. The content and purpose of dreams are not definitively understood, though they have been a topic of scientific speculation, philosophical intrigue and religious...
ing. His fellow student Eugene Aserinsky
Eugene Aserinsky
Eugene Aserinsky , a pioneer in sleep research, was a graduate student at University of Chicago in 1953 when he discovered REM sleep. He made the discovery after hours spent studying the eyelids of sleeping subjects...
had mentioned to him that "Dr. Kleitman
Nathaniel Kleitman
Nathaniel Kleitman was Professor Emeritus in Physiology at the University of Chicago. Author of the seminal 1939 book Sleep and Wakefulness, he is recognized as the father of American sleep research...
and I think these eye movements might be related to dreaming". Aserinsky, along with his and Dement's adviser Nathaniel Kleitman
Nathaniel Kleitman
Nathaniel Kleitman was Professor Emeritus in Physiology at the University of Chicago. Author of the seminal 1939 book Sleep and Wakefulness, he is recognized as the father of American sleep research...
, had previously noticed the connection but hadn't considered it very interesting. Dement had an interest in psychiatry
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
, which in those days considered dreams to be important, so he was excited by the discovery and was eager to pursue it. He began his work in sleep deprivation at Mount Sinai Hospital
Mount Sinai Hospital, New York
Mount Sinai Hospital, founded in 1852, is one of the oldest and largest teaching hospitals in the United States. In 2011-2012, Mount Sinai Hospital was ranked as one of America's best hospitals by U.S...
in the late 1950s – the early 1960s. He was among the first researchers to study sleeping subjects with the electroencephalogram (EEG), and he wrote "I believe that the study of sleep became a true scientific field in 1953, when I finally was able to make all-night, continuous recordings of brain and eye activity during sleep." Studying these recordings, he discovered and named the five stages of sleep. In collaboration with Dr. Christian Guilleminault
Christian Guilleminault
Doctor Christian Guilleminault is a physician and researcher in the field of sleep medicine. Dr. Guilleminault, a French citizen, was persuaded to join the faculty at Stanford University. He has been closely involved with many developments in sleep medicine from the 1970s until the present day. ...
, Dement proposed the measure that is still used for the clinical definition of sleep apnea and the rating of its severity, the Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI)
Apnea-hypopnea index
The apnea-hypopnea index is an index of sleep apnea severity that combines apneas and hypopneas. The apneas must last for at least 10 seconds and are associated with a decrease in blood oxygenation...
.
Dement, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford University School of Medicine is a leading medical school located at Stanford University Medical Center in Stanford, California. Originally based in San Francisco, California as Cooper Medical College, it is the oldest continuously running medical school in the western United States...
, taught the large and popular "Sleep and Dreams" course at Stanford from 1971 until 2003. Due to popular demand he decided to teach the class again in 2006 and has continued to teach till this very day. Dement has been spending a great deal of time focusing on spreading information about the danger of driving when drowsy and obstructive sleep apnea
Sleep apnea
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by abnormal pauses in breathing or instances of abnormally low breathing, during sleep. Each pause in breathing, called an apnea, can last from a few seconds to minutes, and may occur 5 to 30 times or more an hour. Similarly, each abnormally low...
.
In 1975 he launched the American Sleep Disorders Association, now known as the American Academy of Sleep Medicine
American Academy of Sleep Medicine
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine is a United States professional society for the medical subspecialty of sleep medicine. It was established in 1975. The AASM is the only professional society that is dedicated exclusively to the medical subspecialty of sleep medicine...
, and served as president for its first twelve years. In that same year he and Mary Carskadon
Mary Carskadon
Mary A. Carskadon, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. She is also the Director of the at E.P. Bradley Hospital. She is considered to be an expert on sleep and circadian rhythms during childhood and...
invented the Multiple Sleep Latency Test
Multiple Sleep Latency Test
The Multiple Sleep Latency Test is a sleep disorder diagnostic tool. It is used to measure the time elapsed from the start of a daytime nap period to the first signs of sleep, called sleep latency...
used to measure sleepiness, a test of how quickly people fall asleep, sleep onset latency
Sleep onset latency
In sleep science, sleep onset latency is the length of time that it takes to accomplish the transition from full wakefulness to sleep, normally to the lightest of the non-REM sleep stages.-Sleep latency studies:...
, during several daytime opportunities.
He was also chairman of the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research, whose final report led directly to the creation of a new agency within the National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
, the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research.
Dement is the author of numerous books, including The Promise of Sleep and The Sleepwatchers, and has written the first undergraduate textbook in the field.
At the start of his academic career, he was a jazz musician and played bass. While at the University of Washington he jammed with Quincy Jones, a time during which he also befriended Ray Charles. During the late 80s, while at Stanford, he was known to have played, on at least one occasion, with artist-in-residence, Stan Getz.
He lives with his family in northern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.