Sleep Disorders Clinical Research Program
Email: MGHsleepdisorderscrp@mgb.org
Call: 617-643-6026
Overview
The Sleep Disorders Clinical Research Program, led by John Winkelman, MD, PhD, is part of the Outpatient Psychiatry Division of Massachusetts General Hospital. The program is dedicated to clinical and investigative efforts in sleep disorders and the overlap of sleep medicine and psychiatric disorders. It focuses in particular on Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), Insomnia, and Sleep-Related Eating Disorder (SRED).
Research Projects
National RLS Opioid Registry
The RLS Opioid Registry based at Massachusetts General Hospital is a longitudinal observational study, which includes patients throughout the country, to assess the long-term safety and effectiveness of low-dose opioid medications for RLS.
Low dose opioid medications have been used successfully to treat the symptoms RLS symptoms in patients who have found that conventional treatments have lost effectiveness.
However, concerns regarding loss of efficacy and abuse have led to reluctance to prescribe these medications for RLS. Further, regulations can make obtaining prescribed opioids for RLS difficult. For these reasons, both patients and prescribers need more scientific evidence to assess the long-term risks and benefits of treating RLS with low-dose opioids.
Effectiveness of Treatment Guidelines for RLS “Augmentation”
Augmentation of RLS is a paradoxical worsening of RLS symptoms caused by long-term dopamine agonist therapy. This study evaluates the success and efficacy of guideline-recommended down-titration strategies, including transitioning augmented patients from dopamine agonists to alpha-2-delta ligands or low-dose opioids.
Actigraphic Sleep Patterns of RLS
RLS Symptoms follow a distinct circadian rhythm that delays sleep onset but allows for better rest in the early morning. This project utilizes hour-by-hour actigraphic data from the UK Biobank to systematically compare objective sleep-wake patterns between individuals with RLS and non-RLS control groups. The study looks to identify unique sleep patterns that can help characterize and distinguish RLS from other sleep disorders.
RLS Curbside
RLS Curbside is a free, HIPAA-compliant, non-commercial online discussion board for healthcare practitioners to help optimize the management of complicated RLS patients. We hope this tool will enable healthcare providers to confidently treat RLS with the most efficacious, evidenced-based, personalized treatments for their patients.
Restless Legs Syndrome: Updated Guidelines and Management Strategies
Research Team
John Winkelman, MD, PhD
Chief
Justin Sherfey
Research Coordinator
Ben Wipper, MD
Resident Physician (Anesthesiology), Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Jordana Zackon
Medical Student, Tufts University School of Medicine
Kathy Hua
Research Intern, Harvard University
Fiona Herbert
Research Intern, Brown University
Adysn Kilty, Physician Assistant Student, George Washington University
Sylvie Adams, Research intern
Sayaka Aritake-Okada, PhD, Postdoctoral fellow
Ryan Bottary PhD, Boston College
Tien-yu Chen, MD, National Defense Medical Center
Song Chi, MD, Research fellow
Atilla Gonenc, PhD, McLean Hospital
Seung-Gul Kang, MD, PhD, Gachon University
Marcus Kankkunen, Research intern
Cathy McCall, MD, Resident
Leslie Mei, Research Coordinator, Weill Cornell Medical College
James O'Connor, Research intern
Julia Purks MD, Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont
Christopher Romero-Gutierrez – Research assistant
Laura Schoerning DO, Marian University
Publications
News Coverage
- Weaning Patients with RLS Off Dopamine Agonists a Gradual Process, Neurology Today, March 2026
- Low-Dose Opioids Maintain Long-Term Stability in Restless Legs Syndrome, Neurology Advisor, February 2026
- Restless Legs Syndrome, JAMA Clinical Reviews, January 2026
- How to Treat Restless Legs Syndrome, U.S. News, October 2025
- Magnesium Lotion for Sleep, NPR, September 2025
- Restless Legs Syndrome, CNN Health, June 2025
- New Treatment Guidelines For Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), Healthier Sleep Magazine, February 2025
- New Restless Leg Syndrome Guidance, Neurology Journal Podcast, February 2025 (Video)
- I clock up to 20,000 steps a night: my life with restless legs syndrome, The Guardian, January 2025
- Updated Guidelines for the Treatment of Restless Leg Syndrome: New Research Prompts a Significant Shift in Recommendations, MGH Psychiatry News, December 2024
- Changes in Restless Legs Syndrome Treatment Recommendations, HCP Live, December 2024
- Balancing the Benefits of Improved Sleep Against the Side Effects of Treatment, Expert Perspectives, December 2024
- Insomnia in Adults and the Effects of Aging: Special Considerations, Expert Perspectives, December 2024
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine Guidelines Update: Restless Leg Syndrome, Neurology Advisor, November 2024
- Talking Sleep | RLS clinical practice guideline update, Talking Sleep, November 2024 (Podcast)
- Restless Legs Syndrome: Updated Guidelines and Management Strategies, November 2024 (Video)
- An RLS Prescription Revolution May Have Begun, Sleep Review, November 2024
- New Treatment Guidelines for Restless Legs Syndrome and Shifting Away From Dopamine Agonists: John Winkelman, MD, PhD, Neurology Live, October 2024 (Video)
- NeuroVoices: John Winkelman, MD, PhD, on Taking a Major Shift Away From Dopamine Agonists in the Revised Guidelines for Restless Legs Syndrome Treatment, Neurology Live, October 2024
- Restless legs syndrome on the radar, Harvard Health, October 2024
- When to Use Low-Dose Opioids for Restless Legs Syndrome, HCPLive, June 2024
- Dopamine no longer first-line treatment for restless legs syndrome, Healio Neurology, June 2023