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Study on brain functional networks and cortical morphological structures in patients with primary insomnia
Xiaoyue Jin1,2,3, Xiaoyang Wang1,2, Kuihua Wang1,2,4
1900th Hospital of PLA Joint Logistic Support Force, Fuzhou, China.
Frontiers in Neurology
|March 16, 2026
Summary
Primary insomnia (PI) patients exhibit altered brain connectivity and structure, including changes in functional hubs and cortical thickness. These neuroimaging findings correlate with sleep quality, offering insights into PI mechanisms and diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Sleep Medicine
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- Primary insomnia (PI) prevalence is rising globally.
- Understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of PI is crucial for effective diagnosis and treatment.
- Existing research suggests potential alterations in brain function and structure in individuals with PI.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neurobiological mechanisms of primary insomnia using advanced neuroimaging techniques.
- To identify abnormal functional network hubs and connectivity patterns in PI patients.
- To examine cortical morphological changes and their correlation with clinical symptoms in PI.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 33 PI patients and 25 healthy controls for comprehensive assessments.
- Utilized voxel-based degree centrality (DC) analysis to identify functional network hubs.
- Employed surface-based morphometry (SBM) for cortical thickness and gyrification analysis.
- Conducted whole-brain functional connectivity (FC) analysis seeded by differentially activated regions.
Main Results:
- PI patients showed increased DC in the bilateral precuneus/posterior cingulate gyrus and decreased DC in the right parietal lobe.
- Reduced FC was observed in specific brain regions, including connections between the CEN and right cerebellum, and posterior DMN and occipital lobe.
- Cortical thinning in the left frontoparietal region, elevated gyrification index, and decreased fractal dimension in the right parieto-occipital/left occipital cortex were noted.
Conclusions:
- PI is associated with distinct abnormalities in functional brain hubs (posterior DMN, CEN parietal lobe) and reduced functional connectivity.
- Significant cortical morphological alterations, such as left frontoparietal thinning, are present in PI patients.
- These neuroimaging biomarkers correlate with sleep quality, providing a foundation for mechanistic research and clinical applications in PI.
Keywords:
central executive networkdefault mode networkhyperarousalprimary insomniasurface-based morphometryvoxel-wise degree centralityMore Related Videos
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