Division of Sleep Medicine @ Harvard Medical School
Trainee Profile
Nigel P. Pedersen, MBBS
Research Fellow in Neurology, Harvard Medical School
Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Address
Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Room 819, Harvard Institutes of Medicine77 Avenue Louis Pasteur
Boston, MA 02115
USA
Inter-office Mail Address
BIDMC, HIM 819Society Memberships
Sleep Research SocietySociety for Neuroscience
Australian Neuroscience Society
International Brain Research Organization
Sydney University Medical Society
Research Unit(s)
Systems Neurobiology Group (Saper)
Research Interests
I am interested in the neurological mechanisms of sleep, wakefulness and coma. Presently, singly or in conjunction with other Saper Lab members, I am studying the brainstem mechanisms of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, with particular interest in REM phasic activity, including rapid eye movements and alterations in autonomic control. Interests also include the neurological basis of EEG, rodent models of coma and sleep apnea, and the mechanisms of brief arousals from sleep.
I am interested in neurodegenerative, sleep and epileptic human diseases, and hope to evolve translational research projects. Present examples include the study of arousal and respiratory control mechanisms in sleep apnea and autonomic control across different states of awareness. I am also interested non-suprachiasmatic circadian systems.
Techniques to address these questions include EEG recording and analysis, use of neurotoxins, physiological monitoring including radio telemetric implants and heart rate variability analysis, histology, immunohistochemistry, confocal microscopy and neuroanatomical tracing. I also have extensive experience with patch-clamp electrophysiology, and some experience with behavioral testing, modeling and mathematical analysis.
I am interested in neurodegenerative, sleep and epileptic human diseases, and hope to evolve translational research projects. Present examples include the study of arousal and respiratory control mechanisms in sleep apnea and autonomic control across different states of awareness. I am also interested non-suprachiasmatic circadian systems.
Techniques to address these questions include EEG recording and analysis, use of neurotoxins, physiological monitoring including radio telemetric implants and heart rate variability analysis, histology, immunohistochemistry, confocal microscopy and neuroanatomical tracing. I also have extensive experience with patch-clamp electrophysiology, and some experience with behavioral testing, modeling and mathematical analysis.
Mentor(s)
Selected Publications
Pedersen NP, Fuller PM, Lu J, Saper CB. In the flicker of an eye.
J. Physiol., in press.
Baumann CR, Clark EL, Pedersen NP, Hecht JL, Scammell TE. Do enteric neurons make hypocretin?
Regul Pept. 2008 Apr 10;147(1-3):1-3. [PMID: 18191238]
Hacker J, Pedersen NP, Chieng BC, Keay KA, Christie MJ. Enhanced Fos expression in glutamic acid decarboxylase immunoreactive neurons of the mouse periaqueductal grey during opioid withdrawal.
Neuroscience. 2006;137(4):1389-96. [PMID: 16359817]
Blessing WW, Seaman B, Pedersen NP, Ootsuka Y. Clozapine reverses hyperthermia and sympathetically mediated cutaneous vasoconstriction induced by 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy) in rabbits and rats.
J Neurosci. 2003 Jul 16;23(15):6385-91. [PMID: 12867524]
Pedersen NP, Blessing WW. Cutaneous vasoconstriction contributes to hyperthermia induced by 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy) in conscious rabbits.
J Neurosci. 2001 Nov 1;21(21):8648-54. [PMID: 11606652]
Garcia JN, Pedersen NP, Nalivaiko E, Blessing WW. Tail artery blood flow measured by chronically implanted Doppler ultrasonic probes in unrestrained conscious rats.
J Neurosci Methods. 2001 Jan 15;104(2):209-13. [PMID: 11164247]
J. Physiol., in press.
Baumann CR, Clark EL, Pedersen NP, Hecht JL, Scammell TE. Do enteric neurons make hypocretin?
Regul Pept. 2008 Apr 10;147(1-3):1-3. [PMID: 18191238]
Hacker J, Pedersen NP, Chieng BC, Keay KA, Christie MJ. Enhanced Fos expression in glutamic acid decarboxylase immunoreactive neurons of the mouse periaqueductal grey during opioid withdrawal.
Neuroscience. 2006;137(4):1389-96. [PMID: 16359817]
Blessing WW, Seaman B, Pedersen NP, Ootsuka Y. Clozapine reverses hyperthermia and sympathetically mediated cutaneous vasoconstriction induced by 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy) in rabbits and rats.
J Neurosci. 2003 Jul 16;23(15):6385-91. [PMID: 12867524]
Pedersen NP, Blessing WW. Cutaneous vasoconstriction contributes to hyperthermia induced by 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy) in conscious rabbits.
J Neurosci. 2001 Nov 1;21(21):8648-54. [PMID: 11606652]
Garcia JN, Pedersen NP, Nalivaiko E, Blessing WW. Tail artery blood flow measured by chronically implanted Doppler ultrasonic probes in unrestrained conscious rats.
J Neurosci Methods. 2001 Jan 15;104(2):209-13. [PMID: 11164247]
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