Faculty Profile

Sleep Disorders Program, Division of Sleep Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital

The broad goal of my research is to better understand the pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is a common disorder with substantial neurocognitive and cardiovascular consequences. My research has focused on investigating several aspects of respiratory physiology and upper airway muscle control in humans to better understand both the normal physiology and the changes in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. I have been particularly interested in trying to identify differences between men and women that may contribute to the high male predominance of obstructive sleep apnea.

Currently my research interests include determining the effect of increasing genioglossus muscle activity on upper airway function (airway patency and resistance) in both healthy subjects and those with obstructive sleep apnea. Should this muscle be able to dramatically improve airway function then further studies will be warranted to investigate any possible therapeutic role of increased muscle activity.

David P. White, MD and Atul Malhotra, MD

American Heart Association
PI: AS Jordan, PhD.
Individual and state related susceptibility to pharyngeal collapse.

American Heart Association
PI: AS Jordan, PhD.
The influence of lung volume and upper airway dilator muscle activity on pharyngeal collapse in obstructive sleep apnea.

Heinzer R, White DP, Malhotra A, Lo YL, Dover L, Stevenson KE, Jordan AS. Effect of expiratory positive airway pressure on sleep disordered breathing.
Sleep. 2008 Mar 1;31(3):429-32. [PMID: 18363320]

Heinzer RC, White DP, Jordan AS, Lo YL, Dover L, Stevenson K, Malhotra A. Trazodone increases arousal threshold in obstructive sleep apnoea.
Eur Respir J. 2008 Feb 6; Epub ahead of print [PMID: 18256066]

Jordan AS, White DP. Pharyngeal motor control and the pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnea.
Respir Physiol Neurobiol. 2008 Jan 1;160(1):1-7. Epub 2007 Aug 3. Review. [PMID:17869188]

Eckert DJ, Saboisky JP, Jordan AS, Malhotra A. Upper airway myopathy is not important in the pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apnea.
J Clin Sleep Med. 2007 Oct 15;3(6):570-3. Review. [PMID: 17993036]

Eikermann M, Fassbender P, Malhotra A, Takahashi M, Kubo S, Jordan AS, Gautam S, White DP, Chamberlin NL. Unwarranted administration of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors can impair genioglossus and diaphragm muscle function.
Anesthesiology. 2007 Oct;107(4):621-9. [PMID: 17893459]

Jordan AS, Wellman A, Heinzer RC, Lo YL, Schory K, Dover L, Gautam S, Malhotra A, White DP. Mechanisms used to restore ventilation after partial upper airway collapse during
sleep in humans.
Thorax. 2007 Oct;62(10):861-7. Epub 2007 Apr 5. [PMID: 17412778]

Lo YL, Jordan AS, Malhotra A, Wellman A, Heinzer RA, Eikermann M, Schory K, Dover L, White DP. Influence of wakefulness on pharyngeal airway muscle activity.
Thorax. 2007 Sep;62(9):799-805. Epub 2007 Mar 27. [PMID: 17389755]

Eikermann M, Jordan AS, Chamberlin NL, Gautam S, Wellman A, Lo YL, White DP, Malhotra A. The influence of aging on pharyngeal collapsibility during sleep.
Chest. 2007 Jun;131(6):1702-9. Epub 2007 Apr 5. [PMID: 17413053]

Eckert DJ, Jordan AS, Merchia P, Malhotra A. Central sleep apnea: Pathophysiology and treatment.
Chest. 2007; 131(2):595-607. [PMID: 17296668]

Nalivaiko E, Catcheside PG, Adams A, Jordan AS, Eckert DJ, McEvoy RD. Cardiac changes during arousals from non-REM sleep in healthy volunteers.
Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2007; 292(3):R1320-R1327. [PMID: 17110530]

Wellman A, Malhotra A, Jordan AS, Schory K, Gautam S, White DP. Chemical control stability in the elderly.
J Physiol. 2007; 581(Pt 1):291-298. [PMID: 17317747]

Heinzer RC, Stanchina ML, Malhotra A, Jordan AS, Patel SR, Lo YL, Wellman A, Schory K, Dover L, White DP. Effect of increased lung volume on sleep disordered breathing in sleep apnoea patients.
Thorax. 2006 Feb 20; [PMID: 16490766]

Yang CK, Jordan AS, White DP, Winkelman JW. Heart rate response to respiratory events with or without leg movements.
Sleep. 2006 Apr 1;29(4):553-6. [PMID: 16676789]

Lo YL, Jordan AS, Malhotra A, Wellman A, Heinzer RC, Schory K, Dover L, Fogel RB, White DP. Genioglossal muscle response to CO2 stimulation during NREM sleep.
Sleep. 2006 Apr 1;29(4):470-7. [PMID: 16676780]

Malhotra A, Jordan AS. Did fat boy Joe need hormone replacement?  
Sleep. 2006 Jan 1;29(1):16-8. [PMID: 16453975]

Jordan AS, Wellman A, Edwards JK, Schory K, Dover L, MacDonald M, Patel SR, Fogel RB, Malhotra A, White DP. Respiratory control stability and upper airway collapsibility in men and women with obstructive sleep apnea.
J Appl Physiol. 2005 Nov;99(5):2020-7. Epub 2005 Jun 30. [PMID: 15994243]

Jordan A, Malhotra A.The pharyngeal lumen: both length and size matter.
J Clin Sleep Med. 2005 Jul 15;1(3):264-5. [PMID: 17566186]

Heinzer RC, Stanchina ML, Malhotra A, Fogel RB, Patel SR, Jordan AS, Schory K, White DP. Lung volume and continuous positive airway pressure requirements in obstructive sleep apnea.
Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2005 Jul 1;172(1):114-7. Epub 2005 Apr 7. [PMID: 15817803]

Malhotra A, Jordan A. Surface tension and sleep apnea: a sticky business.
Sleep. 2005 Apr 1;28(4):392-3. [PMID: 16171283]

Wellman A, Jordan AS, Malhotra A, Fogel RB, Katz ES, Schory K, Edwards JK, White DP. Ventilatory control and airway anatomy in obstructive sleep apnea.  
Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2004 Dec 1;170(11):1225-32. Epub 2004 Aug 18. [PMID: 15317668]

Jordan AS, McEvoy RD, Edwards JK, Schory K, Yang CK, Catcheside PG, Fogel RB, Malhotra A, White DP. The influence of gender and upper airway resistance on the ventilatory response to arousal in obstructive sleep apnoea in humans.
J Physiol. 2004 Aug 1;558(Pt 3):993-1004. Epub 2004 Jun 24. [PMID: 15218069]

Jordan AS, McEvoy RD. Gender differences in sleep apnea: epidemiology, clinical presentation and pathogenic mechanisms.
Sleep Med Rev. 2003 Oct;7(5):377-89. Review. [PMID: 14573374]

Jordan AS, White DP, Fogel RB. Recent advances in understanding the pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnea.
Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2003 Nov;9(6):459-64. Review. [PMID: 14534395]

Jordan AS, Eckert DJ, Catcheside PG, McEvoy RD. Ventilatory response to brief arousal from non-rapid eye movement sleep is greater in men than in women.
Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2003 Dec 15;168(12):1512-9. Epub 2003 Oct 2. [PMID: 14525799]

Jordan AS, Catcheside PG, O'Donoghue FJ, McEvoy RD. Long-term facilitation of ventilation is not present during wakefulness in healthy men or women.
J Appl Physiol. 2002 Dec;93(6):2129-36. Epub 2002 Aug 30. [PMID: 12391101]

O'Donoghue FJ, Catcheside PG, Jordan AS, Bersten AD, McEvoy RD. Effect of CPAP on intrinsic PEEP, inspiratory effort, and lung volume in severe stable COPD.
Thorax. 2002 Jun;57(6):533-9. [PMID: 12037230]

Jordan AS, Catcheside PG, O'Donoghue FJ, Saunders NA, McEvoy RD. Genioglossus muscle activity at rest and in response to brief hypoxia in healthy men and women.
J Appl Physiol. 2002 Jan;92(1):410-7. [PMID: 11744685]

Orr RS, Jordan AS, Catcheside P, Saunders NA, McEvoy RD. Sustained isocapnic hypoxia suppresses the perception of the magnitude of inspiratory resistive loads.
J Appl Physiol. 2000 Jul;89(1):47-55. [PMID: 10904034]

Jordan AS, Catcheside PG, Orr RS, O'Donoghue FJ, Saunders NA, McEvoy RD. Ventilatory decline after hypoxia and hypercapnia is not different between healthy young men and women.
J Appl Physiol. 2000 Jan;88(1):3-9. [PMID: 10642355]