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Exploratory GABAa-informed control network modulates hyperarousal brain dynamics in chronic insomnia
Liyong Yu1,2, Liang Gong3, Xiaoqin Chen1
1Chengdu Pidu District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine/The Third Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (West District), Chengdu, China.
Communications Biology
|July 3, 2025
Summary
Chronic insomnia involves hyperarousal, leading to unpredictable brain state transitions. GABAa receptor signaling may modulate this brain dynamic dysfunction, offering new insights into insomnia neurobiology.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sleep Medicine
- Computational Psychiatry
Background:
- Chronic insomnia disorder is linked to hyperarousal and disrupted brain state dynamics.
- The neurobiological basis of hyperarousal in insomnia, especially involving GABAa receptors, is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate brain state dynamics in chronic insomnia using functional MRI and network control theory.
- To explore the role of GABAa receptor distribution in modulating brain network control energy and stability in insomnia.
Main Methods:
- Resting-state functional MRI data analyzed with hidden Markov modeling to identify brain states.
- Integration of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)-based structural connectivity and GABAa receptor data within a network control theory framework.
Main Results:
- Individuals with chronic insomnia exhibit more frequent and unpredictable brain state transitions than healthy controls.
- Chronic insomnia is associated with a flattened energy landscape, requiring less energy for state transitions.
- GABAa receptor distribution influences control energy and brain state stability, suggesting a modulatory role.
Conclusions:
- Hyperarousal in chronic insomnia is characterized by unstable brain state dynamics.
- GABAergic signaling may play a role in the altered brain network control observed in insomnia.
- This study provides neurobiological insights into the mechanisms of hyperarousal in chronic insomnia.
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