Sleep disorders and financial stress linked to brain changes

A meta‑analysis of 57 brain‑imaging studies conducted by researchers at Florida International University found that both insomnia‑type sleep disorders and parasomnias are associated with reduced volume in the thalamus, especially the pulvinar. The thalamus filters information and supports attention, decision‑making and cognitive processing, and its shrinkage may explain slower reactions and concentration difficulties reported by people with sleep problems. The analysis notes that roughly 50‑70 million Americans experience a sleep disorder.

In a separate longitudinal study of 2,759 British participants born in 1946, University College London researchers reported that chronic financial strain over many years is linked to poorer memory and information‑processing performance in mid‑life and to signs of brain atrophy in later life. The association persisted after adjusting for education, early‑life cognition and socioeconomic background, suggesting that long‑term financial stress can accelerate cognitive decline and brain ageing.