Abnormal temporal dynamics of high-frequency neural oscillations are associated with poor sleep quality in abstinent...

Sleep disturbance is a common and clinically significant symptom in individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD), often persisting during abstinence and increasing the risk of relapse. However, the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying sleep dysfunction in AUD remain poorly understood. Long-range temporal correlations (LRTC) in neural oscillations reflect the temporal organization and excitation-inhibition (E/I) balance of brain networks. While altered LRTC has been observed in various psychiatric and sleep disorders, its role in AUD-and its potential relationship to sleep dysfunction during abstinence-has not been systematically investigated. This study aims to investigate whether altered LRTC in resting-state EEG is associated with sleep quality during abstinence in individuals with AUD.

This study included 39 AUD patients and 34 healthy controls. Subjective sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Resting-state EEG data were obtained, and LRTC were calculated using detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) across distinct frequency bands.

Compared to healthy controls, AUD patients exhibited significantly reduced LRTC in the β and γ frequency bands. Within AUD group, poorer sleep quality was significantly associated with lower β band LRTC in the middle frontal lobe (r = 0.45, p = 0.037), right parietal lobe (r = 0.37, p = 0.039), middle parietal lobe (r = 0.42, p = 0.037), and occipital lobe (r = 0.386 - 0.392, ps. = 0.037). Moreover, β and γ band LRTC effectively distinguished AUD patients from healthy controls, with area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.80 (p < 0.001) and 0.77 (p < 0.001), respectively.

Resting-state LRTC in high-frequency EEG bands are altered in AUD and related to sleep quality, suggesting their potential as an objective biomarker for assessing sleep disturbances in AUD.