Neuroimaging findings in sleep disorders: A review article

Q2 Medicine

Neurobiology of Sleep and Circadian Rhythms Pub Date : 2026-05-01 Epub Date: 2025-11-03 DOI:10.1016/j.nbscr.2025.100137

Ali Kavehee , Fatemeh Kashaninasab , Mir Farhad Ghalehbandi , Mahboobeh Khoozan

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective

Sleep disorders including insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), narcolepsy and REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), significantly impair cognition, emotional wellbeing and physical health. This review synthesizes Neuroimaging evidence across major sleep disorders. It also documents knowledge gaps in the literature and provides clear next steps towards better diagnostic and therapeutic steps for sleep disorders.

Methods

PRISMA 2020 guidelines were followed for the systematic review of Neuroimaging studies on sleep disorders, with a comprehensive search of PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar between 1997 and 2024.

Results

A total of 93 Neuroimaging studies published between 1997 and 2024 were systematically reviewed. Insomnia is characterized by reduced gray matter volume in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, increased beta activity in EEG, and decreased frontal lobe metabolism, supporting the hyperarousal model. OSA is associated with cortical thinning, hippocampal atrophy, and disrupted Default Mode Network (DMN) connectivity, correlating with cognitive deficits. Narcolepsy exhibits hypothalamic atrophy, reduced orexin signaling, and abnormal thalamocortical connectivity, explaining excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy. Parasomnias, particularly REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), show neurodegenerative changes in the brainstem and basal ganglia, serving as early markers for synucleinopathies like Parkinson's disease.

Conclusion

Multimodal Neuroimaging and electrophysiological findings provide critical insights into the pathophysiology of sleep disorders, highlighting distinct neural patterns that enhance diagnostic precision and guide targeted interventions. Multimodal imaging approaches are essential for advancing precision medicine in sleep disorder management.

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睡眠障碍的神经影像学发现：综述文章

目的睡眠障碍包括失眠、阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停（OSA）、发作性睡病和快速眼动睡眠行为障碍（RBD），严重损害认知、情绪健康和身体健康。这篇综述综合了主要睡眠障碍的神经影像学证据。它还记录了文献中的知识空白，并为更好地诊断和治疗睡眠障碍提供了明确的下一步措施。方法采用sprisma 2020指南，对1997年至2024年间的睡眠障碍神经影像学研究进行系统评价，并综合检索PubMed、Scopus和谷歌Scholar。结果系统回顾了1997 ~ 2024年间发表的93篇神经影像学研究。失眠的特征是前额皮质和海马灰质体积减少，脑电图β活动增加，额叶代谢减少，支持高觉醒模型。OSA与皮质变薄、海马萎缩和默认模式网络（DMN）连接中断有关，与认知缺陷相关。发作性睡症表现为下丘脑萎缩、食欲素信号减少和丘脑皮质连通性异常，这解释了白天过度嗜睡和猝倒。异睡眠症，特别是快速眼动睡眠行为障碍（RBD），表现出脑干和基底神经节的神经退行性改变，是突触核蛋白病（如帕金森病）的早期标志。结论多模态神经成像和电生理研究结果为睡眠障碍的病理生理学提供了重要的见解，突出了不同的神经模式，提高了诊断精度并指导了有针对性的干预措施。多模态成像方法对于推进睡眠障碍管理的精准医学至关重要。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Neurobiology of Sleep and Circadian Rhythms Neuroscience-Behavioral Neuroscience

CiteScore

4.50

自引率

0.00%

发文量

审稿时长

69 days

期刊介绍： Neurobiology of Sleep and Circadian Rhythms is a multidisciplinary journal for the publication of original research and review articles on basic and translational research into sleep and circadian rhythms. The journal focuses on topics covering the mechanisms of sleep/wake and circadian regulation from molecular to systems level, and on the functional consequences of sleep and circadian disruption. A key aim of the journal is the translation of basic research findings to understand and treat sleep and circadian disorders. Topics include, but are not limited to: Basic and translational research, Molecular mechanisms, Genetics and epigenetics, Inflammation and immunology, Memory and learning, Neurological and neurodegenerative diseases, Neuropsychopharmacology and neuroendocrinology, Behavioral sleep and circadian disorders, Shiftwork, Social jetlag.