Erin Hanlon, PhD

As a behavioral neuroscientist, Dr. Hanlon's primary research interests have included the detrimental effects of sleep loss and how sleep benefits health, with particular focus on the links between sleep deficiency, obesity, and diabetes. Specifically, she has focused on the effect of sleep restriction on brain reward and feeding systems as well as peripheral metabolic systems in both rodent and human models. Her most recent studies have identified a 24hr rhythm in circulating endocannabinoid (eCB) levels, a system that has garnered much attention in recent years for its involvement in the regulation of hedonic food intake. Dr. Hanlon has shown that this rhythm is altered by sleep loss suggesting the involvement of the eCB system and hedonic eating in the excess food intake observed following sleep restriction. Further, she demonstrated that obese individuals have a misaligned endocannabinoid rhythm, suggesting that circadian disruption in the eCB system may constitute a circadian-mediated mechanism contributing to the underlying pathophysiology of obesity.

University of Wisconsin-Madison
PhD - Neuroscience
2006

Duke University
BS - Psychology
1999

Beyond the Scale: Exploring the Endocannabinoid System's Impact on Obesity.
Beyond the Scale: Exploring the Endocannabinoid System's Impact on Obesity. Curr Diab Rep. 2024 Nov 15; 25(1):6.
PMID: 39543055

Dysregulated 24 h melatonin secretion associated with intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell function in diabetic retinopathy: a cross-sectional study.
Dysregulated 24 h melatonin secretion associated with intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell function in diabetic retinopathy: a cross-sectional study. Diabetologia. 2024 Jun; 67(6):1114-1121.
PMID: 38413436

Multidimensional sleep health and diabetic retinopathy: Systematic review and meta-analysis.
Multidimensional sleep health and diabetic retinopathy: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Med Rev. 2024 Apr; 74:101891.
PMID: 38118339

Greater sleep variability is associated with higher systemic inflammation in type 2 diabetes.
Greater sleep variability is associated with higher systemic inflammation in type 2 diabetes. J Sleep Res. 2024 May; 33(3):e13989.
PMID: 37414725

Extended Absorption of Liothyronine from Poly-Zinc-Liothyronine: Results from a Phase 1, Double-Blind, Randomized, and Controlled Study in Humans.
Extended Absorption of Liothyronine from Poly-Zinc-Liothyronine: Results from a Phase 1, Double-Blind, Randomized, and Controlled Study in Humans. Thyroid. 2022 02; 32(2):196-205.
PMID: 34641706

Sleep and circadian rhythms: pillars of health-a Keystone Symposia report.
Sleep and circadian rhythms: pillars of health-a Keystone Symposia report. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2021 12; 1506(1):18-34.
PMID: 34341993

The human gut microbiome and health inequities.
The human gut microbiome and health inequities. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021 06 22; 118(25).
PMID: 34161260

The Relationship between Sleep, Obesity, and Metabolic Health in Adolescents - a Review.
The Relationship between Sleep, Obesity, and Metabolic Health in Adolescents - a Review. Curr Opin Endocr Metab Res. 2021 Apr; 17:15-19.
PMID: 33283071

Circadian Misalignment of the 24-hour Profile of Endocannabinoid 2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) in Obese Adults.
Circadian Misalignment of the 24-hour Profile of Endocannabinoid 2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) in Obese Adults. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2020 03 01; 105(3).
PMID: 31970413

Relationship between Intrinsically Photosensitive Ganglion Cell Function and Circadian Regulation in Diabetic Retinopathy.
Relationship between Intrinsically Photosensitive Ganglion Cell Function and Circadian Regulation in Diabetic Retinopathy. Sci Rep. 2020 01 31; 10(1):1560.
PMID: 32005914

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