The study, published in the journal Sleep, found that cognitive processes related to verbal fluency are compromised in people with insomnia despite the absence of a behavioral deficit. However, these specific brain function alterations can be reversed through non-pharmacological treatment with sleep therapy, the study said.
The study authors suggest sleep therapy may be a low-cost, non-pharmacological intervention for insomnia.
"It was surprising to see that the patients performed at a higher level than the control group, but showed reduced brain activation in their fMRI results," principal investigator Ysbrand Der Werf of the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience in Amsterdam said in a statement. "The success during the task may reflect a conscious effort to counteract the effect of poor sleep."
The study matched 21 patients -- average age of 61 -- with chronic insomnia and 12 healthy controls. Therapy involved a combination of sleep restriction, multifaceted cognitive-behavior therapy, morning and late afternoon bright-light exposure and body temperature manipulations.
