Brains of insomniacs have more 'excitability' among neurons: Study
U.S. researchers have discovered people with insomnia tend to have more activity in the area of the brain that controls movement.
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine researchers found more "excitability" among neurons in the motor cortex of the brain for those with insomnia, adding evidence to the idea insomniacs are in a constant state of heightened information processing that may interfere with sleep.
"Insomnia is not a night time disorder," study leader Rachel Salas said in a release about the study, which appears in the March edition of the journal Sleep. "It's a 24-hour brain condition, like a light switch that is always on. Our research adds information about differences in the brain associated with it."
Insomnia can be hard for doctors to diagnose, and medical professional often rely on the patients to report sleeping problems. But Salas said this research could be a first step in helping doctors pinpoint if a patient has insomnia, or if something else is the issue.