Insomnia Patients’ Brains May Have More Plasticity Than Normal Sleepers

Insomnia is the Latin word for "no sleep" and it has remained a term in the English language. Insomnia is described as "waking up not feeling restored or refreshed," and it is the most common sleep disorder among Americans. Now, though, it turns out that those with insomnia may have brains with more plasticity than normal sleepers.

Plasticity, or the quality of being easily shaped or molded, is believed to affect the brain's motor cortex in insomniacs. This part of the brain controls movement, and studies have shown that it is more flexible in patients who suffer from insomnia. This finding could be crucial for researchers studying the causes of the disorder.

The National Sleep Foundation reports that insomnia is caused by a multitude of issues: stress, pain, digestive problems, depression, anxiety, or other sleep disorders further contributing to a lack of rest. Additionally, various medications can lead to the inception of insomnia, including cold and allergy medicine, depression and pain meds, and high blood pressure and heart disease meds. The disorder is more common among older people and women, but it is not limited to these demographics.

"Insomnia is not just a nighttime disorder; it's a 24/7 disorder," said Rachel Salas, an assistant professor of neurology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. "People with insomnia may struggle with increased cortisol levels and anxiety on a daily basis," she added in this Live Science article.

Salas is the author of a study that helped find that the plasticity of the motor cortex might be a determining factor for suffering insomniacs. The study analyzed 28 adults, 18 who suffered from insomnia and 10 who had no sleep disorders. Salas and her researchers used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to trigger areas of the motor cortex, which caused the participants to involuntarily move their thumbs in a certain direction.

The researchers found that the more easily a participant was able to move their thumb in the opposite direction of the involuntary movement, the more flexible their motor cortex was, implying greater plasticity.

Currently, TMS treatment is used on depression patients, and the researchers believe it could soon be used to treat insomnia. To read more about insomnia, visit this Live Science article as well as the National Sleep Foundation website.