Leslie Swanson

Dr. Leslie Swanson is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Michigan Medical School, specializing in behavioral sleep medicine with a focus on women's health across the lifespan. Her clinical and research work centers on the intersection of sleep disorders and psychiatric conditions, particularly in perinatal populations and during women's midlife transition.

Dr. Swanson's research interests include behavioral sleep medicine, depression, perinatal mood disorders, and the relationship between sleep and psychiatric illness. A significant portion of her work examines sleep in the perinatal population, investigating how sleep disturbances during pregnancy relate to mental health outcomes. She has conducted extensive research using data from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN), examining how sleep patterns affect cognitive performance, cardiovascular health, and mental well-being in women as they age.

Analysis of Dr. Swanson's publication record reveals consistent research activity with a strong emphasis on women's sleep health across different life stages. Her work spans from prenatal sleep issues to sleep patterns in older women, with particular attention to how sleep timing, regularity, and quality impact mental health, cognitive function, and physical health outcomes. Many of her recent studies focus on clinical interventions for sleep disorders, including cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI) adapted for pregnant women and chronotherapeutic approaches for psychiatric conditions.

Dr. Swanson has been actively involved in research supported by MICHR's Clinical Research Management team and the IND/IDE Investigator Assistance Program (MIAP), as evidenced by recent Twitter mentions about her clinical trial work. She has presented her findings at various symposia, including the NeuroNetwork for Emerging Therapies Mini Symposium where she discussed 'The Sun & Seasonal Affective Disorder.'

Her educational background includes a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Alabama and a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan. Dr. Swanson collaborates extensively with colleagues at the University of Michigan including J. Todd Arnedt, Louise O'Brien, Helen Burgess, and Ronald Chervin, as indicated by co-authorship patterns in her publications. Her research appears in prominent journals including Sleep, Sleep Medicine, and Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.