The abnormalities of brain function in females with primary insomnia: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Haiyi Zhang; Pingping Jie; Yingchun Liu; Lunxin Wu; Oucheng Wang; Yong Zhang; Jiliang Fang; Quan Wang; Jie Zhao; Yong Liu

doi:10.3389/fnins.2024.1414154

The abnormalities of brain function in females with primary insomnia: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Front Neurosci. 2024 Jul 31:18:1414154. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1414154. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Haiyi Zhang¹, Pingping Jie¹, Yingchun Liu¹, Lunxin Wu¹, Oucheng Wang¹, Yong Zhang², Jiliang Fang³, Quan Wang⁴, Jie Zhao¹, Yong Liu¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China.
² Department of Acupuncture, Moxibustion, Tui-Na and Rehabilitation, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China.
³ Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
⁴ Department of General Family Medicine, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China.

Abstract

Background: The neuropathologic mechanism of primary insomnia (PI) of females remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the features of amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) in females with PI using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and then explore the abnormalities of functional connectivity (FC).

Materials and methods: A total of 39 female PI patients and 31 female healthy controls (HC) were enrolled in the study. The sleep condition was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and their depressive symptom was evaluated using the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-24). The rs-fMRI was once conducted for every subject. ReHo, ALFF, and ROI-based FC were used to analyze the changes of brain function.

Results: ALFF values were increased in the Cerebelum_4_5_L, as well as decreased ALFF in the bilateral Frontal_Sup_Medial (SFGmed), Angular_L (ANG.L), Parietal_Inf_R (IPL.R), SupraMarginal_R (SMG.R), and Postcentral_R (PoCG.R). ReHo values were increased in the Temporal_Pole_Mid_R (TPOsup.R), as well as decreased ReHo in the Insula_R (INS.R), Frontal_Inf_Oper_R (ORBinf.R), Putamen_R (PUT.R), Rolandic_Oper_R (ROL.R), bilateral Cingulum_Post (PCG), bilateral Frontal_Sup_Medial (SFGmed), bilateral anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyri (ACG), and the bilateral precuneus (PCUN). Across the entire brain, there was a decline in the FC between Angular_R and Frontal_Sup_Medial_L.

Conclusion: Alterations in brain regions of female patients with PI involved multiple functional networks, including the default mode network, the salience network, the central executive network, and the limbic network. Reduced coordination between functional networks may be an important mechanism for insomnia and may lead to reduced cognitive function and decision-making ability.

Keywords: females; functional connectivity; neuropathologic mechanism; primary insomnia; resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This research was funded by the Sichuan Provincial Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine Project (2021MS537), Beijing Medical Award Foundation (YXJL-2022-0105-0142), the Luzhou Science and Technology Program Key R&D Projects (2022-SYF-87), and the School-level Research Projects of Southwest Medical University (2023QN006 to JZ).