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Updated: Apr 28, 2026

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Altered volumetric and functional connectivity of the habenula in chronic insomnia disorder

Jingjing Sun1, Kai Zhang2, Panpan Li1

  • 1Zhenjiang Mental Health Center, Zhenjiang Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China.

Frontiers in Neuroscience
|April 27, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Chronic insomnia disorder involves altered habenula connectivity, particularly the left habenula

Area of Science:

  • Neuroimaging
  • Neuroscience
  • Brain Connectivity

Background:

  • The habenula (Hb) is recognized for its roles in sleep and emotion processing.
  • Its specific involvement in chronic insomnia disorder (CID) is not well understood.
  • Investigating the habenula's structure and connectivity in CID is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine structural characteristics of the habenula in CID patients.
  • To assess functional connectivity (FC) of the habenula with brain networks in CID.
  • To identify neuroimaging markers for CID pathophysiology.

Main Methods:

  • Structural MRI (sMRI) and resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) were used.
  • 42 CID patients and 31 healthy controls (HC) participated.
  • Clinical questionnaires and neuroimaging data were collected and analyzed.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences in habenula volume or laterality were found between groups.
  • CID patients showed altered left habenula FC with frontal, angular, and caudate regions.
  • Decreased left habenula connectivity with somatomotor (SM) and dorsal attention networks (DAN) was observed.

Conclusions:

  • Chronic insomnia disorder is associated with asymmetric habenula functional connectivity.
  • Impaired connectivity between the left habenula and SM/DAN networks is a key finding.
  • These FC abnormalities, without structural changes, offer insights into CID and suggest the left habenula as a therapeutic target.
Abstract

Keywords:
Yeo-17 networkchronic insomnia disorderfMRIfunctional connectivityhabenula

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