Sleep deprivation affects different areas of the brain, according to research

A review of more than 230 studies showed that insomnia, apnea and lack of sleep alter separate areas of this organ, which opens the way to more personalized therapies for these clinical conditions.

                                                                                          

Currently, nearly a third of the population is unable to get the 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night recommended by the American Sleep Foundation. According to one study, 31% of adults sleep less than the amount recommended by sleep medicine specialists.

Dr. Daniel Pérez Chada , president of the Argentine Sleep Foundation and consultant in the Pulmonology Department and director of the Sleep Clinic at Austral University Hospital, “Chronic sleep deprivation leads to multiple negative health effects, ranging from cardiovascular problems, cognitive impairment, a weakened immune system, and an increased risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes,” the expert noted.

A new study confirmed these consequences and how sleep deprivation manifests in different areas of the brain. In the meta-analysis, conducted by researchers from the Jülich Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Germany, they demonstrated that the brain regions involved in short- and long-term sleep disorders differ significantly.

The results of the study were published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.

                                                                                               

“Lack of sleep is one of the most important, yet modifiable, risk factors for mental illness in adolescents and older adults,” said Dr. Masoud Tahmasian, a researcher and professor at Jülich who coordinated the study.

The scientist noted that long-term pathological sleep disorders, such as insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and short-term sleep deprivation, are located in different parts of the brain.

Gerion Reimann, one of the study's lead authors, said the symptoms of sleep deprivation are similar during the day: “Anyone who has ever slept poorly or not slept enough will know that they often feel a little grumpy or unable to perform tasks well due to a significant decrease in attention and reaction time.”

He added that chronic sleep disorders and ongoing sleep deprivation are also risk factors for various mental illnesses.

The consequences of not sleeping well  

                                                                                               

Lack of sleep can affect you whether you sleep poorly one night or sleep poorly on a regular basis. These are its effects:

In the short term, lack of sleep affects your mood, judgment, and ability to concentrate. If you don't sleep well, you may have difficulty remembering things and be more likely to make mistakes in school or work activities.

In the long term, lack of sleep is associated with chronic health problems such as diabetes, hypertension, stroke, obesity, depression, and heart and kidney disease. Lack of sleep also increases the risk of injuries, such as traffic accidents.

How Lack of Sleep Affects the Brain              

                                                                                             

The research was conducted using data from 231 studies comparing different groups: subjects with sleep disorders versus healthy individuals, and well-rested individuals versus those who had been sleep-deprived. The results show clear neural differences between the groups examined.

According to the findings analyzed by the Jülich researchers, neural changes were identified in specific brain areas, such as the right amygdala, hippocampus, and anterior cingulate cortex, in people suffering from chronic sleep disorders. These regions are associated with emotional processing, memory, decision-making, and sensations.

Reimann explained that the abnormalities characteristic of chronic sleep disorders “reflect common symptoms that occur during the day, such as exhaustion, memory problems, mood swings, and even depression. It remains to be seen whether the changes in the brain are the cause or a consequence of chronic sleep disorders.”                                                  

                                                                                                

In contrast, short-term sleep deprivation was associated with changes in the right thalamus, a brain region responsible for temperature regulation, movement, and pain perception. “This corresponds to the symptoms of short-term sleep deprivation: less alertness, restricted actions, and often catching colds more easily,” Reimann explained.

“Thus, we were able to demonstrate for the first time that there is no overlap of brain regions between the two groups,” the expert stated. “This is important for future studies. We can now focus on the precise structural and functional regions and networks that are representative of the respective sleep disorder,” he emphasized.

“Previously, individual sleep disorders were considered separately. Now we can also address questions about chronic sleep disorders in transdiagnostic studies; that is, we can examine several findings simultaneously,” Tahmasian added.    

                                                                                           

 The new findings could also pave the way for more targeted therapies and preventative measures. “Many patients who suffer from insomnia—or chronic sleep disorders in general—are also at increased risk for depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders, as well as Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia,” Reimann noted.

“Now that we know which brain regions are involved, we can investigate in more detail the effects of non-drug therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, compared with drug treatments for various sleep disorders,” they concluded.