Advanced Sleep Center

CURRICULUM VITAE

Current Position:
Clinical Director, Advanced Sleep Center
2905 Kingman Street, Metairie, LA 70006; Phone: 504-200-3026 Fax: 504-885-5507
e-mail: info@advancedsleepcenter.com

Director, Comprehensive Sleep Medicine Center of the Gulf Coast
1972 Ormond Blvd. #B, Destrehan LA 70047
7049 Perkins Rd., Baton Rouge LA 70808; Phone: 877-81-SNORE   Fax: 985-764-1422
e-mail: denisesharon@cox.net    gulfcoastsleepcenter@cox.net

Academic Affiliation:         Clinical Assisstant Professor of Pediatrics, Sleep Medicine Fellowship Faculty
1999 – to date                       Tulane School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA

Education:
1970-1973              Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Siena, Italy. Preclinical studies.
1974-1979              Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel. Thesis presentation and graduation 1981, M.D.
1987-1991               Graduate program in Counseling Psychology, APA approved. Temple University Philadelphia.

Professional Training:
1996 - 1997             Psychology Trainee. Sherman Psychological Associates, Sherman, Texas.
1993 - 1995             Sleep Disorders Training, ASDA approved
Sleep Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior MCG/VAMC, Augusta, GA
1989 - 1990             Internship in Psychology (APA approved) ICTR, The Devereux Foundation - Devon, PA
1980 - 1985             Residency in Psychiatry (PGY II-VI), Pardesia Psych. Hospital, Pardesia, Israel.
1979 - 1980             Residency in Psychiatry (PGY-I), Geha Psych. Hospital, Petah-Tikva, Israel.
1978 - 1979             Rotating Internship, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.
The last three hospitals are affiliated with the Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv Univ., Israel.

Psychological License: Texas License No. 25449, Alabama License No. 810 Georgia License No. 1695, Louisiana License No. 813

Credentials:
1992        American Assoc. of State and Provincial Psychology Boards Certification - Psychology
1997       American Board of Sleep Medicine Board Certified - Sleep Disorders
2007       Fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine

Prior Sleep Medicine Related Experience:
2003-2006               Sleep Specialist, Premier Sleep Medicine Center, Baton Rouge, LA
2002-2005               Sleep Medicine Fellowship Program Co-Director Tulane School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
1999-2005               Sleep Specialist, Tulane Hospital and Clinics, New Orleans, LA
1997-1998               Sleep Specialist, Sleep Medicine Associates of Texas, Dallas TX
1996                        Independent Contractor, Sleep Consultants, Inc., Fort Worth, TX
1995-1996               Sleep MedicineTrainee, Sleep Medicine Associates of Texas, Dallas TX

Academic Appointments:
1994 - 1995 Clinical Instructor, Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior, MCG Augusta, GA
1983 - 1985 Teaching Assistant in Psychiatry, Pardesia Psychiatric Hospital
Sackler School of Medicine - Pardesia, Israel

Research Appointments:
1996 - 1997             Research Work, Sleep Medicine Associates of Texas - Dallas, Texas
1991 - 1995             Research Associate/Quantitative Electroencephalographer, Laboratory of Psychoelectrophysiology, Depart. of Psychiatry and Health Behavior, MCG
1987 - 1990             Research Associate, Laboratory of Psychiatric Electrophysiology
Department of Psychiatry - Temple Univ. Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
1986 - 1987             Research Team Dept. of Clin. Psychology Northwestern Univ. - Evanston, IL
1985 - 1985             Research Fellow at the Psychobiology Institute, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.

Organizations:
American Academy of Sleep Medicine - Sleep Research Society
World Association of Sleep Medicine - National Sleep Foundation
American Insomnia Association - Movement Disorder Society
International RLS Study Group - RLS Foundation
Southern Sleep Society - Louisiana Academy of Sleep Medicine
American Psychological Association - LA Psychological Association - Baton Rouge Chapter

Other Activities - Sleep Medicine Related:
Reviewer for Sleep, Sleep Medicine, J of Clinical Sleep Medicine, Journal of Psychosomatic Research, American Journal of Medicine, Journal of Women’s Health
2007                      Southern Sleep Society - President –elect for 2010
2008                      AASM Nosology Committee
2007 -      to date    SRS Membership Committee; vice-chair since 2008
2000 -      2003        AASM Fellowship Accreditation Committee
1999 -      to date    AASM Center Accreditation - Site Visitor
1998 -      to date    International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group – Executive Committee

Abstracts and Publications – Sleep Medicine related:

Brown TM, Hayes JH, Lampton CC, Sharon D: Sleep Markers and Psychiatry: Confounding Effect of Sleep Apnea. Abstract: American Psychiatric Electrophysiology Association, Miami 1995. Published in Integrative Psychiatry.

Becker PM, Ondo W, Sharon D: Encouraging Initial Response of Restless Legs Syndrome to Pramipexole. Neurology 53(2):439-440, 1999.

Sharon D, Simakajornboon N, Beckerman R: Acute Onset of Restless Legs Syndrome Following Phlebotomy: A Case Report. Sleep 23(Suppl 2):A332, 2000.

Simakajornboon N, Beckerman RC, Mack C, Sharon D, Gozal D: Effect of Supplemental Oxygen on Sleep Architecture and Cardiorespiratory Events in Premature Infants. Sleep 23 (Suppl 2):A96, 2000.

Simakajornboon N, Mack C, Sharon D, Jackson T, Vlasic V, Beckerman RC: Periodic Leg Movement Disorder and Ferritin Level in Pediatric Population. Sleep 24(Suppl):A14, 2001.

Naqvi S, Dahi H, Sotelo C, Sharon D, Simakajornboon N. The Association between Arousal Parasomnia and PLMD in Children. Sleep 28 (Suppl):A75, 2005.

Dahi H, Crowder C, Sharon D, Simakajornboon N. The Correlation between Subjective Sleep Perceptions from Post-Test Questionnaire and Objective Sleep Parameters in Patients with OSA. Sleep 28 (Suppl):A176, 2005.

Simakajornboon N, Kheirandish-Gozal L, Gozal D, Sharon D, Murry L. Abraham M. A long term follow up study of periodic limb movement disorders in children after iron therapy. Sleep 29 (Suppl):A226, 2006.

Shamsnia M, Jayner L, Sultani M, Sharon D, Shamsnia S, Mack C. Incidence of obstructive sleep apnea in chemical exposed population. Sleep 29 (Suppl):A595, 2006.

Mack C, Sharon D, Simakajornboon N, Shamsnia M, Ferriss G. Duration of leg movements and ferritin levels. Sleep 29 (Suppl):A860, 2006.

Sharon D, Abraham M, Simakajornboon N, Abraham A. Specificity and sensitivity of the “Single Question” to screen for restless legs syndrome. Sleep 29 (Suppl):A863, 2006.

WA Henning, Sharon D, Abraham M, Simakajornboon N, Allen RP, Bell G, Earley CJ. Validation of a single question screener question for the restless legs syndrome. Mov Dis 21 Suppl 15: P423, 2006.

Mack C, Sharon D. Prolonged leg movements in low ferritin subjects. Sleep Med 8 Suppl 1 P0074 pS88, 2007.

Shamsnia M, Shahgoli A, Sharon D, Shamsnia L, Mack C. Periodic limb movement disorder in chemically exposed population. Sleep Med 8 Suppl 1 P0075 pS88, 2007.

Sharon D, Mack C, Hurst M, Hymel B. Restless legs syndrome patients: International Restless Legs Scale scores, serum ferritin levels and Suggested Immobilization Test results. Sleep Med 8 Suppl 1 O0050 pS60, 2007.

Sharon D, Mack C, Hymmel B. Katrina: Change in sleep related complaints and complainers. Sleep 30 (Suppl) 1045, 2007.

Sharon D, Mack C, Hymmel B. Katrina: Change in use of antidepressants in sleep medicine patients. Accepted for poster presentation at WFSRS meeting, Cairns, Australia, 2007.

The International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group: Validation of the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group Severity Rating Scale for Restless Legs Syndrome. Sleep Med. 2003 Mar;4(2):121-32.

Allen RP, Picchietti D, Henning WA, Trenkwalder C, Walters AS, Montplaisir J, Bara-Jimenez W, Becker P, Bell G, Berger K, Bliwise DL, Brooks D, Consens F, Earley CJ, Ehrenberg BL, Foley D, Murray CF, Garcia-Borreguero D, Hallett M, Hornyak M, Hunt CE, Kushida C, Kurth T, Launer L, Monjan A, Nichols P, Rye DB, Sharon D, Streiner DL, Winkelman JW, Winkelmann J, Zak R, Adler C, Benes H, Chokroverty S, Ekbom K, Frauscher B, Hogl B, Kryger M, Montagna P, Oertel W, Plazzi G, Poceta JS, Silber M, Stiasny K, Tolosa E, Tufik S, de Mello MT, Zucconi M. Retless legs syndrome: Diagnostic criteria, special considerations, and epidemiology. A report from the restless legs syndrome diagnosis and epidemiology workshop at the National Institute of Health. Sleep Medicine 4(2), pp. 101-119, 2003.

Sharon D. A Diagnostic Challenge: Distinguishing Restless Legs Syndrome from its Mimics. Advance Newsmagazines June 15, 2009.

Sharon D, Becker PM, Jamieson AO: Refining Oximetry as a Screening Procedure for Sleep Disordered Breathing. Presented at the Southern Sleep Society Meeting, San Antonio 1997 and at the Associated Professional Sleep Societies Meeting, San Francisco, June 1997.

Becker PM, Sharon D, Jamieson AO: Oximetry and History in the Triage to Sleep Testing for Sleep Disordered Breathing: A Method to Manage Utilization. Presented at the Southern Sleep Society Meeting, San Antonio 1997 and at the Associated Professional Sleep Societies Meeting, San Francisco June, 1997.

Sharon D, Becker PM, Ondo W: Experience with Pramipexole in the Treatment of Restless Legs Syndrome. Presented at the Southern Sleep Society Meeting, Savannah, Georgia, March 1998.

Sharon D, Forester M, Jamieson AO, Becker PM: Comparison of Home Oximetry, Home and Laboratory Oxiflow and Laboratory Polysomnography in the Evaluation of Sleep Apnea. Presented at the Southern Sleep Society Meeting, Savannah, Georgia, March 1998.

Sharon D, Simakajornbon N, Mack C, Beckerman RC: CPAP Compliance in a Selected Group of Patients: Is It Improved by Follow up? Presented at the Southern Sleep Society Meeting, Lake Clear, Texas, March 2001.

Sharon D, Mack C, Hurst M, Hymmel B: Restless Legs Syndrome patients: International Restless Legs Scale scores, serum ferritin levels and Suggested Immobilization Test results. Presented at the WASM Meeting, Bangkok 2007.

Sharon D: Lessons from RLS Treatment: Drug options, Complications, Augmentation. Presented at the WFSRS Meeting, New Delhi, India, September 2005.

Sharon D: Restless Legs Syndrome: Recent Learnings and Strategies. Practicing Clinicians Exchange 2008 Symposia Series, Dallas, April 2008.

Sharon D: RLS and PLMD – Diagnosis and Diffrentiation. Clinical Workshop organizer and Chair at the SLEEP 2008 Meeting, Baltimore, June 2008.

Sharon D: Use of Objective Tests Supporting the Diagnosis of RLS. Clinical Workshop organizer and co-Chari at the SLEEP 2009 Meeting, Seattle, June 2009.

Sharon D: Actigraphy and L-dopa test in the diagnosis of RLS and assessment of augmentation. Presented at the SLEEP 2009 Meeting, Seattle, June 2009.

Numerous lectures for colleagues, fellows, residents, medical students, EEG and sleep technologists, patients’ support groups and lay people, as well as talk shows.