Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 4, 2026
04:33
Author Spotlight: Unveiling the Connection Between Sleep Disorders and Cognitive Symptoms in Depression
Published on: April 26, 2024
1.7K
Regional homogeneity changes in patients with primary insomnia
Tianyue Wang1, Shumei Li2, Guihua Jiang3
1Guangdong No. 2 Provincial People's Hospital of Southern Medical University, The Third Clinical Medical College of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
European Radiology
|September 10, 2015
Summary
Primary insomnia (PI) patients exhibit altered brain activity in key regions, particularly those linked to emotion processing. These spontaneous activity changes correlate with psychological factors like anxiety and depression, offering insights into insomnia
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Medical Imaging
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Primary insomnia (PI) is a prevalent sleep disorder characterized by persistent difficulties with sleep initiation or maintenance.
- Understanding the neural underpinnings of PI is crucial for developing targeted therapeutic interventions.
- Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has emerged as a powerful tool for investigating intrinsic brain activity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate regional spontaneous activity changes in patients with primary insomnia.
- To identify specific brain regions exhibiting altered regional homogeneity (ReHo) in PI.
- To explore the relationship between these brain activity changes and clinical measures of sleep quality, anxiety, and depression.
Main Methods:
- Resting-state fMRI data were acquired from 59 PI patients and 47 healthy controls.
- Two-sample t-tests were performed on normalized regional homogeneity (ReHo) maps to compare PI patients and controls.
- Pearson correlation analyses examined the relationships between abnormal ReHo values and scores on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS).
Main Results:
- PI patients showed increased ReHo in the left insula, right anterior cingulate gyrus, bilateral precentral gyrus, and left cuneus.
- Decreased ReHo was observed in the right middle cingulate cortex and left fusiform gyrus in PI patients.
- Significant correlations were found between increased ReHo in the left insula and SAS scores, decreased ReHo in the right middle cingulate cortex and SDS/SAS scores, and negative correlation between increased ReHo in the right precentral gyrus and SDS scores.
Conclusions:
- Primary insomnia is associated with abnormal spontaneous brain activity in multiple regions, including emotion-related areas.
- Altered ReHo in specific brain regions may underlie the pathophysiology of insomnia.
- These findings contribute to understanding the intrinsic functional architecture of insomnia and its clinical manifestations.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Management of Insomnia
782
The sleep cycle, an integral part of human health, consists of several stages with distinct characteristics and functions. It begins with a transition from wakefulness to sleep, known as the light sleep phase, followed by the restorative deep sleep phase, essential for physical recovery and growth. The cycle concludes with the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) phase, characterized by high brain activity and vivid dreaming. Insomnia, a prevalent sleep disorder, involves difficulty falling asleep, staying...
782
01:27Insomnia
591
Insomnia is a prevalent sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings during the night, and waking up too early without being able to return to sleep. People with insomnia often experience these disruptions at least three nights a week for at least one month. Chronic insomnia, which lasts for at least three months, can lead to increased anxiety, which in turn can worsen sleep difficulties, creating a cycle of sleeplessness and stress.
Multiple factors contribute...
Multiple factors contribute...
591
01:24Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep
547
Substance use disorders involve a pattern of using drugs more extensively than intended and continuing use despite harmful consequences. This includes legal substances like alcohol and nicotine, as well as illegal drugs. These disorders often involve both physical and psychological dependence, reflecting compulsive use of substances that significantly alter thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, contributing to a major public health issue.
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
547
01:24Sleep-Wake Cycles
3.3K
Sleep is an essential physiological process vital to maintaining overall well-being. The reticular activating system (RAS), a network of neurons in the brainstem, regulates wakefulness and sleep. While it may seem passive, sleep consists of distinct cycles, each with its unique characteristics and functions. Two key sleep phases are non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM).
NREM Sleep
NREM sleep comprises four progressive stages that seamlessly merge:
NREM Sleep
NREM sleep comprises four progressive stages that seamlessly merge:
3.3K
01:17Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents
865
Sedatives and hypnotics encompass a wide range of substances, each with its unique mechanism of action, uses, and potential adverse effects.
Melatonin congeners like ramelteon (Rozerem) and tasimelteon (Hetlioz) selectively bind to melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) and thus mimic the actions of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Tasimelteon is primarily used for non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, common in blind patients. They are also used to treat conditions like insomnia...
Melatonin congeners like ramelteon (Rozerem) and tasimelteon (Hetlioz) selectively bind to melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) and thus mimic the actions of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Tasimelteon is primarily used for non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, common in blind patients. They are also used to treat conditions like insomnia...
865
01:15Chronopharmacokinetics: Circadian Rhythms and Influence on Drug Response
479
Circadian rhythms are cyclic changes that are crucial in plasma drug concentrations. Various standard circadian parameters, including core body temperature, heart rate, and other cardiovascular factors, directly impact disease states and the therapeutic response to drug therapy.
The time of drug administration is an important factor to consider, as it can influence the toxic dose of a drug. For example, a study conducted by Prins et al. in 1997 examined the effects of the timing of...
The time of drug administration is an important factor to consider, as it can influence the toxic dose of a drug. For example, a study conducted by Prins et al. in 1997 examined the effects of the timing of...
479