Musician Bryan Adams calls for B.C. government's ouster over old-growth logging

Christian Paas-Lang 
CBC
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© Kieran Oudshoorn/CBC News A blockade in the Fairy Creek watershed on Vancouver Island on Sunday May 30, 2021.

Canadian musician Bryan Adams is urging British Columbians to vote out the NDP government in the next election over its support for old-growth logging in the province.

"I mean, this is disgraceful. This isn't what we voted for. People don't vote for tearing down ancient trees. If people knew more about what was going on, they would seriously be outraged," Adams told host Chris Hall in an interview for CBC's The House airing Saturday.

Protests against logging in the Fairy Creek watershed area have intensified this year, with activists blocking a road to the area. On May 17, the RCMP began enforcing an injunction to clear the camps and more than 260 people have been arrested since then.

On June 7, three First Nations in the area called for a two-year deferral of the logging. The provincial government agreed to pause operations two days later.

Adams is one of over 100 prominent Canadians who signed an open letter calling on B.C. Premier John Horgan to end old-growth logging in the province. For Adams and activist TJ Watt, who also joined The House, the temporary deferral granted by the provincial government isn't good enough.

"People are not going to be happy when they see that old-growth trees are still falling just outside those deferral areas. And the government's not taking this seriously," Watt said.

© Harry How/Getty Images Singer-songwriter Bryan Adams performs during the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games 2017 at Air Canada Centre on September 30, 2017 in Toronto, Canada.

'It's just barbaric'

Adams said he and others were not calling for the end of all logging in the province. He said they want steps taken to protect old-growth trees, instead of letting loggers "plow through and cut everything down."


"It's just barbaric," he said.

Adams said that the protests in the Fairy Creek area are no different from other anti-logging protests that have taken place in British Columbia over the years — including those at Clayoquot Sound, one of the largest acts of civil disobedience in Canadian history.

"It's just the same old story over and over, over again," he said.

"This is my backyard again. It's still going on. When are people going to learn that these trees are invaluable to us? They don't come back and we've got to protect them."
Respecting role of First Nations

A key issue in the Fairy Creek situation has been the positions of First Nations, both for and against old-growth logging.

Soon after the Ditidaht, Huu-ay-aht and Pacheedaht First Nations requested the deferral, Huu-ay-aht Chief Coun. Robert J. Dennis Sr. told CBC Radio it was the protesters who were not being respectful of Indigenous rights.

"If you respect First Nations in what they stand for, if you respect First Nations Aboriginal title and if you respect First Nations people, period, you would honour their request not to protest," said Dennis.

Watt said Saturday it's up to governments to give First Nations additional resources so they aren't "forced to choose between logging of old-growth forests or losing the jobs and revenues that come from logging old-growth."

Provincial Forestry Minister Katrine Conroy told The House that working with Indigenous groups on developing forestry plans is the government's priority.

"I think it shows respect to ensure that we are talking to the Indigenous nations," Conroy said, urging others involved to do the same.

© Kieran Oudshoorn/CBC Activists from Ridge Camp watch the sunset from the top of the Fairy Creek watershed. Most have vowed to continue their opposition despite the recently negotiated two-year deferment of logging in the Fairy Creek and central Walbran areas.

"I really hope that people will respect the nations and respect their voices because reconciliation is tough.

"We can't only move forward with reconciliation when it serves our needs. We have to respect reconciliation is something we're doing in this province and we're very serious about it."

She said the government is working to adopt the 14 recommendations made in a report on old-growth forests released last year. The provincial government started that work last year, with the deferral of logging in nearly 200,000 hectares of old-growth forest.

Watt argued that the government's actions this year are not in line with the report's recommendations to halt logging on old-growth forests that are at risk.

Conroy said the provincial government would not be putting an end to logging in British Columbia altogether.

Conroy said that she wants to make sure that her grandchildren could, if they so choose, work in a sustainable and successful forestry industry.

"But I also want, if they so choose, to have the opportunity to walk in an old growth forest with their kids."

Hundreds brave sweltering heat for Black Lives Matter rally in Vancouver

Hundreds of people turned out to pressure the city for more action against racism at a Black Lives Matter protest at Vancouver City Hall on Friday.

© Global News Protesters try and keep to the shade at a Black Lives Matter rally in Vancouver on Friday amid near-record temperatures.

Organizers said the rally was about demanding justice and accountability, and standing in solidarity against white supremacy.

It came as former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd, and amid a dispute between Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart and the city's police chief about the presence of systemic racism in policing.

Azuke Neuka-Agwu, one of the event's organizers, said the city has not done enough since demands from the Vancouver BLM chapter last June around defunding police, addressing systemic racism and redressing historic wrongs against the city's Black community.

"Even though the mayor recently chose to step down as (spokesperson for the Vancouver Police Board) and let someone else take it over, we're just not seeing enough progress, and COVID has provided so many distractions that people are just crashing form one spectacle to the next, without realizing all these things are connected," he said.

Video: Dispute over prevalence of ‘systemic racism’ causes friction on Vancouver Police Board

Neuka-Agwu drew a link between anti-Black racism, anti-Asian racism and anti-Indigenous racism and the rising number of hate crimes in Canada.

"The origin of the Canadian state, from clearing the land moving, the people out to residential schools, all of that is connected," he said, pointing to the recent discovery of the remains of hundreds of people at the sites of former Indian residential schools.

Read more: Vancouver police apologize for handcuffing retired Black B.C. judge

The recent wrongful handcuffing of an Indigenous grandfather and his 12-year old granddaughter and a retired Black B.C. Supreme Court judge in separate incidents were recent examples of systemic racism at work, he said.

"We are gashing to put pressure on the city to remind people that yeah, there are a lot of other things going on but this is still happening."

Video: A new tool to report racism within B.C.’s healthcare system

On Thursday, anti-racism advocate Markiel Simpson addressed the police board, calling for Chief Adam Palmer's resignation, amid the latter's refusal to acknowledge the presence of systemic racing in policing.

Later in the board meeting, Deputy Chief Steve Rai announced a review of VPD policies and procedures to ensure "systemic biases" were not embedded in the organization.

Read more: Over 50% of Canadians think systemic racism built into country’s institutions, poll says

Sekoya Baker, who is Afro-Indigenous and a member of the Squamish and Tla'amin First Nations, said he was at the protest to remind the public that racism is not just something that happens in other countries.

"Even if we live in Canada and Vancouver, there's still a lot that's swept under the rug and not paid attention to. We're here to make a statement," Baker said.

"We need more allies, we need every person of colour to come together to let it be known, Indigenous lives matter, Black lives matter, stop Asian hate, everything.

His brother, Sekawnee Baker, said the priority was raising awareness.

Read more: Vancouver police chief hears call for his ouster as systemic racism debate lands at police board

"It's very important to me because I'm Afro-Indigenous. On both sides of my culture we've suffered some racism," he said.

"Being Black growing up here in Vancouver, I've faced some struggles. Being Native growing up here in Vancouver I've also faced some struggles."

Following speeches, demonstrators planned to march over the Cambie Street Bridge before ending at Emery Barnes Park for music and to hear from more speakers.

ROFLMAO MYOB
U.S. senator wants Canada on religious freedom watch list over pastor COVID arrests

EDMONTON — A U.S. senator has asked that Canada be investigated for violating religious freedom over the arrests of Alberta pastors accused of flouting COVID-19 restrictions.

© Provided by The Canadian Press

In a letter released Thursday, Missouri Republican Josh Hawley asked his country's Commission on International Religious Freedom to consider putting Canada on its special watch list.

"I am troubled that our Canadian neighbours are effectively being forced to gather in secret, undisclosed locations to exercise their basic freedom to worship," Hawley wrote.

"Frankly, I would expect this sort of religious crackdown in Communist China, not in a prominent western nation like Canada."

Hawley refers in his letter to the arrests of Alberta pastors James Coates and Tim Stephens.

Coates spent a month in the Edmonton Remand Centre after he violated a bail condition not to hold church services that officials said were ignoring COVID-19 measures on capacity limits, physical distancing and masking. He was released March 22 after pleading guilty and was fined $1,500.

Coates, who is a pastor at GraceLife Church in Spruce Grove, has argued provincial regulations meant to curb the spread of COVID-19 infringed on his and his congregants' constitutional right to freedom of religion and peaceful assembly.

Earlier this month, a judge ruled his religious freedoms under the Charter were not violated.

Stephens remains in remand after being arrested last week following repeated public complaints over an outdoor service that officials say broke public health orders. Calgary police and Alberta Health Services allege that Stephens of Fairview Baptist Church chose to keep holding services without respecting orders on physical distancing and capacity limits, even after his church had been twice ordered closed.

Litigation director Jay Cameron of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, which is representing Stephens, has accused Alberta Health Services in a statement of being "engaged in an intentional act of public deception and abuse of authority in arresting pastor Stephens and others."

The U.S. commission lists three requirements to declare that a country oppresses religious freedom. It says the oppression must be systematic, ongoing and egregious. Any two of those is enough to be placed on the special watch list. Countries already on the list include Afghanistan, Egypt, Cuba and Turkey.

A commission spokesperson said the agency is aware of Hawley's letter and is "looking into it."

A spokesman for Alberta Justice said the department couldn't comment on Hawley's accusations because the matters are still before the courts.

Hawley is a longtime supporter of former U.S. president Donald Trump. He gave a clenched-fist salute to the hordes outside the Capitol as he arrived on the day of the Jan. 6 riots to press his challenge of the presidential election results.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2021.

Bob Weber, The Canadian Press

Alberta cabinet minister says daughter victim of hate-fuelled attack


CALGARY — An Alberta cabinet minister says her daughter has been the victim of hate-fuelled violence.

Rajan Sawhney, minister of community and social services, says her 25-year-old daughter was attacked Friday in downtown Calgary near her office in broad daylight.

In a post on Twitter, she says her daughter was grabbed, pushed, sworn at and chased as bystanders looked on.

She says her daughter wasn't physically hurt but is shaken, and so is she.

Sawhney noted that it happened at a time when there have been frequent attacks on racialized women over the past year.

She says she is now more motivated than ever to ensure that women, no matter where they come, can walk in public without fear of being attacked.

"I am outraged, saddened and disgusted at the same time, as I have been with every single attack on racialized women," Sawhney said.

The Calgary Police Service was not available for comment.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2021

The Canadian Press

Edmonton rally demanding protection for Muslim women draws hundreds
CBC/Radio-Canada

© Jamie McCannell/CBC An attendee at the anti-hate rally Friday night holds up a sign. 

The rally comes after a series of hate-motivated attacks against Muslim women in Alberta.

Just days after two Muslim women were attacked in St. Albert, hundreds of people attended an anti-hate rally in Churchill Square in downtown Edmonton.

Organizers called on Edmontonians to gather and demand action to protect Muslim women.

© Tricia Kindleman/CBC Ahmed Ali addresses the crowd of hundreds gathered in Churchill Square.

The St. Albert attack is the latest in an alarming string of incidents, including another attack on a woman wearing a hijab in central Edmonton.

© Jamie McCannell/CBC A man and woman both carried signs displaying anti-hate messages at a rally demanding protection for Muslim women .

The attacks have been focused on Muslim women.

Chants of "make our streets safe!" rang out from the stage as speakers addressed the crowd, which included people from many different backgrounds.

Video: Muslim woman in Edmonton says recent attacks have left her afraid (Global News)

© Jamie McCannell/CBC A mother and daughter, both wearing hijabs, embraced as they watched speakers address a crowd of hundreds at an anti-hate rally in Edmonton.

Activist Ahmed Ali told the crowd he hoped the rally would help heal those that have been attacked but that they shouldn't have to gather to fight hate.

"It is not OK for my sisters to have to worry about walking outside and determining what colour of hijab to wear so they don't stand out," Ali said.

© Tricia Kindleman/CBC Two young rally attendees show off their signs made for the event.

Amira Shousha, National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) Alberta representative, said that extra security precautions were taken to ensure the safety of rally attendees and participants.

"It's sad that we even have to police officers and peace officers here to ensure that the people who want to speak against injustice are [protected]," Shousha said.

Shousha said the NCCM would like to see a committee formed to address Islamophobia.

© Jamie McCannell/CBC Amira Shousa, one of the organizers of the rally, hopes to continue to educate people on the dangers of Islamaphobia.

UBC faculty of medicine apologizes for harms to Indigenous Peoples


VANCOUVER — The University of British Columbia's faculty of medicine formally apologized Friday for its role in past and present harms to Indigenous Peoples and committed to expand its response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's calls to action.

© Provided by The Canadian Press

Dr. Dermot Kelleher, the faculty's dean and vice-president of health, said the school recognizes that Indigenous-specific racism exists within the faculty and it apologizes for harmful attitudes and behaviours.


In the wide-ranging apology, he said the school regrets its role in educating and training anyone involved in colonial policy, and for excluding Indigenous people from admissions and in its hiring.

"We acknowledge the deep distress these actions have caused," Kelleher said.

"We intend to collectively forge a new path that takes us beyond this past and present by never, ever, ever forgetting it."

Kelleher made the apology during the faculty's official launch of "Reckoning with the Truth, Working Together for a Better Future: The UBC Faculty of Medicine Response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action."

Although the school has made progress toward implementing the commission's calls to action related to health and education, it had not yet issued a formal response. Kelleher said the years-long process has taken longer than expected and there is still progress to be made.

"We now view the response as a living document and we know that it will change over time as additional insights and contributions are gained that expand our understanding of the issues."

Seven of the 94 calls to action in the commission's 2015 report relate specifically to Indigenous health. They include calls to recognize the value of traditional Indigenous health systems, to increase the recruitment and retention of Indigenous health-care practitioners, and for cultural sensitivity training for health workers.

Video: "We're all pained" - Canada indigenous leaders dismiss Pope remarks (Reuters)

Kelleher said as part of its response, the school is expanding a program that brings students into rural and Indigenous communities. It is also expanding a cultural safety training program. The school has hired more Indigenous faculty members and created positions to advise it on how to do better, he said.

Access to health care is a basic human right, yet Indigenous Peoples do not have equitable access to it, which must be corrected, Kelleher said.

"We know there is a long road ahead and more needs to be done," he added.

Several Indigenous leaders, elders and faculty members spoke at the event.

University chancellor Steven Point, a former lieutenant-governor, challenged other educational institutions to commit to implementing the commission's calls to action.

"Let's not repeat the same errors of the past but rather create a different future that's inclusive, that's fair, that acknowledges Indigenous contributions, that breeds a fair and level playing field," Point said.

Musqueam elder Larry Grant thanked the school for the apology and said he was also encouraged that the faculty of pharmacy is assigning practicum students to remote areas of the province. It gives the students first-hand knowledge of the inadequacies of health programs and the quality of medicine available to Indigenous communities, he said.

University president Santa Ono apologized in 2018 to residential school survivors and Indigenous people for its role in the system that supported the operation of the schools.

A report released in November by former judge Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond found widespread systemic racism in British Columbia's health-care system. She said 84 per cent of the review's Indigenous respondents reported some form of discrimination in health care and 52 per cent of Indigenous health-care workers said they experienced racial prejudice at work, mostly in the form of comments.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2021.

Amy Smart, The Canadian Press

Potato and rice protein shakes may be a viable vegan alternative to whey protein shakes

UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER

Research News

 

A study from the Centre for Nutraceuticals at the University of Westminster found that plant-based protein shakes may be potential viable alternatives to milk-based whey protein shakes, particularly in people with need of careful monitoring of glucose levels.

The study, published in the journal Nutrients, is the first to show potato and rice proteins can be just as effective at managing your appetite and can help better manage blood glucose levels and reduce spikes in insulin compared to whey protein.

During the study the blood metabolic response of participants was measured after drinking potato, rice and whey protein shakes. Appetite was also monitored in the following three hours to understand how these drinks may affect the participants' hunger and their desire to eat.

The research observed that vegan protein shakes led to a lower rise in blood insulin compared to whey, while potato protein prevented any rise in insulin. This may explain the better blood glucose control following consumption of the plant-based protein and poses the question of whether vegan protein shakes are more suitable for individuals who need to need control their blood glucose levels such as diabetic and obese individuals.

Interestingly, release of the key appetite regulating hormone GLP-1 was greater after drinking the whey protein shake. However, the greater GLP-1 response did not translate to an increased feeling of fullness as there were no differences observed in appetite perception between the three different protein shakes.

Consumer trends in protein intake are on the rise with milk protein derivatives such as whey extensively used in consumer products such as protein shakes, fortified food and beverage products.

There are alternative protein products available for vegetarians and vegans such as soy, rice, wheat and pea proteins but there is a relative lack of evidence on their health benefits in comparison to milk proteins. Potato protein is a novel plant-based protein product that is obtained from the waste material from potato starch production and is a sustainable economic protein source. This study provides the first evidence to suggest that it may be an alternative to whey protein sources.

Professor M Gulrez Zariwala, corresponding author and Director of the Centre for Nutraceuticals at the University of Westminster, said: "Global concerns on sustainability have led to consumer shifts towards ethical eating and a change in dietary habits with increased adoption of vegetarian and vegan diets.

"However, research in this area is still lacking and it would be interesting to clarify whether proteins from plant sources can provide identical metabolic health benefits as those with traditional sources such as milk.

"Our results shed new light in this area and improves our understanding of how plant source proteins can be a more sustainable yet nutritionally beneficial food source. We plan to conduct follow-up studies further research this exciting area."

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Notes to editors:

• The full study was published in the journal Nutrients (https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/7/2157)
• For more info head to the Centre for Nutraceuticals website

For further information please contact: University of Westminster Press Office E: press@westminster.ac.uk

About the Centre for Nutraceuticals

The Centre for Nutraceuticals is a first-of-its-kind initiative in the area of nutraceuticals, supplements, and functional foods. The Centre will act as a catalyst for improving health and wellbeing guided by research and innovation. The Centre seeks to be a globally recognised source of scientifically validated knowledge to better inform governments, regulatory bodies, the industry and consumers.

It launches from a springboard of established international partnerships, with past and current engagements with national governments and sector leading corporate organisations.

The core expertise of the Centre is unique and distinctive. The focus areas including supplementation and functional foods transcend disciplines that range from nutrition and public health, physiology and metabolism, and formulation science and nanotechnology.

The Centre will focus on the following activities:

• Collaborative, contract research and consultancy projects (product development, analysis and validation services, and clinical testing via human intervention studies)
• Subject relevant training (B2B and B2C) and CPD-certified lectures, workshops and events
• Knowledge dissemination via publications, conferences and public engagements

You can keep up to date with our latest news by following the Centre for Nutraceuticals on Twitter and Instagram.

About the University of Westminster

The University of Westminster offers a vibrant learning environment attracting more than 19,000 students from over 160 nations and we continue to invest in our future with new developments, research projects and new ideas. The University ranked 4th in the UK and 32nd in the world for 'International Outlook', according to the Times Higher Education Young University Ranking in 2021.

Established as London's first polytechnic in 1838, we have, from our earliest days, opened our doors to provide educational opportunities to people regardless of their background and supported them on their journey to develop their skills, knowledge and expertise.

We offer highly attractive practice-based courses which are independently rated as excellent, many with international recognition. Our distinguished 175-year history has meant we lead the way in many areas of research, particularly Politics, Media, Art and Design, Architecture and Biomedical Sciences, and our position in the city of London allows us to continue to build on our close connections with leading figures and organisations in these areas as well as in the worlds of business, information technology, politics and law. Our commitment to educating graduates for the needs of professional life attracts high quality students from within the UK and around the globe.

Global engagement, employability and sustainability are key elements in the University of Westminster's vision for the future and we strive to ensure the very highest standards are met and maintained.

 

'Subterranean estuaries' crucial to sustainable fishing and aquaculture industries

TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN

Research News

 

Pioneering research, led by a team from Trinity College Dublin and the Marine Research Institute of the Spanish Research Council (IIM-CSIC) in Vigo (Galicia, Spain), suggests "subterranean estuaries" may be critical in managing sustainable fishing and aquaculture - two growing industries of global importance.

Subterranean estuaries are analogous to surface water estuaries, where freshwater flowing out to sea mixes with seawater, but are instead located underground, invisible to the naked eye. Yet the newly published research shows these hidden features are very important in the ecology of coastal systems and in filtering pollutants - some of which have been slowly travelling to sea for decades having leached from agricultural soils.

The research, just published open access in Limnology and Oceanography, uncovered subterranean estuaries in the Ria de Vigo in Galicia (one of the most productive coastal ecosystems in Europe and leader in bivalve production for human consumption) and assessed their importance to the coastal environment.

By employing a selection of natural environmental tracers that carry the chemical fingerprints of groundwater sources on land out to sea, the team estimated that almost 25% of the continental freshwater discharged to the Ria de Vigo comes from this invisible source.

The Biogeochemistry Research Group of Trinity's School of Natural Sciences, led the study (Project SUBACID). Explaining the significance of the work, and its wider implications for Irish waters, Carlos Rocha, Professor in Environmental Change, said:

"Bivalve aquaculture is a strategic, expanding sector in Irish sustainable development and features highly in the national plans to diversify food production. While our work was conducted in the Ria de Vigo, this area was carefully selected because of its capability to support aquaculture and its biogeographic similarity to parts of the Irish coastline.

"These subterranean estuaries have a high capability to filter out pollutants, like fertilisers, from freshwater. Given the extent to which they supply large ecosystems with incoming freshwater, they have a much more important role to play than many would have believed."

Juan Severino Pino Ibánhez, researcher from the Marine Research Institute-CSIC (Spain), added:

"We will now focus in more detail on which specific ecosystem services these invisible structures provide, and how they might affect, for example, the ongoing threat to this industry posed by ocean acidification caused by anthropogenic CO2 emissions to the atmosphere.

"We are currently strengthening the collaborative network established with the Marine Research Institute of Vigo to elucidate the functioning of these hidden ecosystems and their role in coastal health and resilience. Lessons learnt in Vigo together with ongoing research made by our group in Irish coastal ecosystems will help to understand the future of Irish coastal ecosystem services and food production."

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SOMNAMBULISM

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari's 100th Anniversary - Cinemassacre Review

Feb 26, 2020

Cinemassacre

DrCaligari #JamesRolfe
It's the 100th anniversary of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. So James Rolfe decided to review it on this week's Cinemassacre movie review! Dr. Caligari is a German silent horror film released on February 26th, 1920. Directed by Robert Wiene and written by Hans Janowitz and Carl Mayer. Considered the quintessential work of German Expressionist cinema, it tells the story of an insane hypnotist (Werner Krauss) who uses a somnambulist (Conrad Veidt) to commit murders. The film features a dark and twisted visual style, with sharp-pointed forms, oblique and curving lines, structures and landscapes that lean and twist in unusual angles, and shadows and streaks of light painted directly onto the sets.

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)  Fantasy, Horror, Mystery Silent Film

Premiered May 1, 2020

Cult Cinema Classics

Hypnotist Dr. Caligari uses a somnambulist, Cesare, to commit murders

original title: Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari 

Director: Robert Wiene

Writers: Carl Mayer, Hans Janowitz

Stars: Werner Krauss, Conrad Veidt, Friedrich Feher

Genre:  Classics, Cult Film,  Fantasy, Horror, Mystery 

 SOMNAMBULISM

'Fight or flight' discovery in sleepwalkers paves way to new understanding of phenomenon

New research published in the open access journal Frontiers investigating the biological mysteries of sleepwalking found the levels of 'fight or flight' response in those who wander at night is surprisingly lower than those who sleep soundly

FRONTIERS

Research News

 

Somnambulism - otherwise known as sleepwalking - is a phenomenon which has fascinated the public and neurologists for decades, but a lot of what causes it remains a mystery.

Affecting up to 4% of adults, sleepwalking is a non-rapid-eye movement (NREM) sleep parasomnia that not only gives someone a poor night's sleep, but also puts them at serious risk of injury and, in some cases, lead to unintended violence against others.

The following day can also prove challenging as the sleepwalker will feel unrested and a strong desire to fall asleep (somnolence).

Unfortunately for those predisposed to sleepwalking episodes, prolonged sleep deprivation increases both their frequency and complexity, making it harder for them to achieve the deep sleep the body needs to function healthily.

Now, in a paper published to Frontiers in Neurology, researchers at the University of Montréal and Montréal Sacred Heart Hospital, Canada aimed to further investigate the hypothesis that sleepwalking is a disorder of arousal and poorly regulated deep sleep (slow-wave sleep).

More specifically, they examined how the autonomic nervous system - measured via the heart rate - influences deep sleep in sleepwalkers.

Challenges of a sleepwalking study

14 adult sleepwalkers were recruited for the study as well as 14 sex- and age-matched normal controls. They were evaluated using video-polysomnography for one night and during recovery sleep following 25 hours of sleep deprivation.

According to corresponding authors Prof Antonio Zadra and Dr Andrée-Ann Baril of the University of Montréal, it can be a challenge to put together a study investigating the mysterious inner workings of sleepwalking.

"One challenge in studying large cohorts of sleepwalkers is the relatively low prevalence of the disorder in the adult population," they said.

"Fortunately, the Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine, where this research was conducted, is a one-of-a-kind clinical and research facility in Canada affiliated with one of the country's largest and highly specialized sleep disorders clinics that assesses over 1,000 patients a year. As a general rule, however, adult sleepwalkers are readily willing to take part in research studies aiming to better understand the underlying causes and possible treatments of the sleep disorder."

Wakefulness and deep sleep at the same time

The autonomic nervous system regulates the body's physiological functions and is composed of the sympathetic branch, which underlies the 'fight or flight' response, and the parasympathetic branch, which underlies the 'rest and digest' response. Zadra, Baril, and the rest of their team found that sleepwalkers show an elevated rest-and-digest response and a lower fight-or-flight response during deep sleep.

"While the causes of sleepwalking remain unclear, we know that while asleep, sleepwalkers can experience an abnormal interplay between processes linked to arousal and to deep sleep, even outside of their episodes," Zadra and Baril said.

"In other words, sleepwalkers can present evidence of both wakefulness and deep sleep at the same time; a state out of which episodes of sleepwalking can arise. Our findings indicate that when compared to healthy adults, sleepwalkers' autonomic nervous system favors their parasympathetic activity, or rest-and-digest response, during sleep. This paves a new and broader way to understand the biological processes implicated in sleepwalking."

Surprising discovery

The results were "surprising", they added, as it had been assumed that the deep sleep of sleepwalkers would show an elevated fight-or-flight response that would predispose them to higher risks of experiencing sleepwalking episodes.

One limitation of the study is that measuring the influence of the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches on a person's heartbeat is an indirect approach and can be confounded by other factors.

"While our results indicate the presence of an altered autonomic nervous system during sleepwalkers' deep sleep, whether and how this atypical activity is involved in the occurrence of actual sleepwalking episodes remains to be determined," Zadra and Baril said.

"Since several pharmaceutical agents can be used to modulate autonomic effects, such treatment venues could be explored if our results are replicated and expanded upon."

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