Research Interest

Our interdisciplinary projects use multimodal imaging techniques and neuromodulation to visualize and interact with sleep-wake processes during brain development.

At the Competence Center "Sleep and Health" (SHZ Sleep and Health | University of Zurich | UZH), researchers from child and adolescent psychiatry work closely with various partner institutions.

Sleep research in Zurich has a long tradition. Around 30 years ago, the model of sleep regulation that is still valid today was developed in Zurich. The model shows that the interaction between the need for sleep and the internal clock is of central importance for people's performance and well-being. Experts do not yet understand the mechanisms underlying sleep regulation. As a result, the treatment of sleep disorders with co-occurring psychological complaints is usually based on the symptoms rather than the causes. If treatment is to be better and more targeted, researchers must first better understand the interplay of sleep and regulatory processes with cognition, learning and mental well-being.

The research projects described on these pages provide an insight into sleep research at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.