Chronic Insomnia Requires Increased Brain Activation to Maintain Daily Function

June 12, 2009

Science Daily/American Academy of Sleep Medicine

Patients suffering from chronic primary insomnia have higher levels of brain activation compared to normal sleepers during a working memory test.

According to a research abstract that will be presented on June 9, at Sleep 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, patients suffering from chronic primary insomnia (PIs) have higher levels of brain activation compared to normal sleepers during a working memory test.

Results show that PIs use increased brain activation relative to good sleepers during the working memory task, particularly in areas responsible for visual-spatial attention and coordination of cognitive processes. This activation may explain how PIs maintain performance on the task despite their sleep difficulties. PIs also were found to have decreased activation in visual and motor areas, which may suggest that PIs have higher baseline activation in these regions relative to good sleepers.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090609072811.htm