Study links sleep disorders to structural brain changes

Researchers at Florida International University conducted a meta‑analysis of 57 neuroimaging studies on sleep disorders. The work, published in *Scientific Reports*, compared two broad groups – disomnias such as insomnia and sleep apnea, and parasomnias such as sleepwalking, nightmares and night terrors – and identified consistent alterations in brain anatomy.

The analysis found a reduction in the thalamus and its pulvinar region, areas key for attention filtering and higher‑order cognition, across both disorder groups. Parasomnias also showed distinct changes in the posterior cingulate cortex, a region linked to motivation, decision‑making and emotional regulation. These structural differences help explain why poor sleep can impair judgment, slow responses and increase risk of accidents.

The study provides one of the most extensive examinations of how various sleep problems affect brain structure and may guide future interventions targeting cognitive and emotional consequences of chronic sleep disturbance.