Neuroscience Clinical and Translational Research Center
The Neuroscience Clinical and Translational Research Center (NCTRC) focuses on clinical and translational research in clinical neuroscience, psychiatric disorders, sleep, and circadian rhythms. The NCTRC, located on the 13th floor of Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic (WPIC), provides infrastructure to conduct polysomnography (PSG) on a 24 hour basis, as well as a variety of other psychophysiological research procedures. In addition, NCTRC facilities support lifespan research, with areas designated for adult sleep research as well as for studies in children and adolescents.
Facilities include six participant bedrooms, two time-isolation suites, a stimulus presentation control room, a sleep-recording control room, a treatment room, study preparation area, and several patient lounges. All bedrooms contain private bathrooms, televisions and PCs that can be used for electronic questionnaire data collection. Three bedrooms are equipped with IV ports for medication administration and blood sampling. All patient rooms provide electroencephalography sleep, electrocardiography (EKG), respiration, oxyhemoglobin saturation, periodic limb movements, skin and Core body temperature, mood, and performance monitoring capability. Physiological data processing and storage is conducted in adjacent office space which includes a computing operations laboratory and server room.
Electrophysiological equipment is supported by qualified systems and electronics specialists whom also provide customized consultation services related to electrophysiological collection equipment.
Equipment
- Eight PSG acquisition stations with digital video capability
- Two high-density EEG acquisition systems
- Ambulatory PSG acquisition devices
- ApneaLink Plus and ApneaLink Air ambulatory sleep apnea monitoring units
- Refrigerated centrifuge
- Tanita scale
Useful Links
Sleep Medicine Institute
Sleep Research Network
Services
- Budgeting for study services
- Consultation for protocol development and implementation
- Polysomnography (PSG) and high-density EEG data acquisition, processing and storage
- Consultation on specific PSG research and equipment needs
- Psychophysiological assessments (blood pressure, electroencephalography, heart rate, temperature, oximetry)
- Computer performance testing
- Audio-video recording for dyadic tasks
- Specimen collection (blood, saliva, urine)
- Electronic questionnaire data collection
Location
3811 O'Hara Street, 13th Floor ERC Wing
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Hours of Operation
Polysomnography and overnight rooms-24 hours
Contact
Administrator: Christina Nicassio
Phone: 412-246-6407
Fax 412-246-5300
E-mail: nicassiocv@upmc.edu
