Neural Correlates of Working Memory Performance in Primary Insomnia

Abstract

These data establish a profile of abnormal neural function in primary insomnia, reflected both in reduced engagement of task-appropriate brain regions and an inability to modulate task-irrelevant (i.e., default mode) brain areas during working memory performance. These data have implications for better understanding the neuropathophysiology of the well established, yet little understood, discrepancy between ubiquitous subjective cognitive complaints in primary insomnia and the rarely found objective deficits during testing.

Working memory dysfunction in insomniac adults: a systematic metanalytical review

“…For example, the study of Cellini et al 13 shows that insomniacs have a worse performance in tests involving work memory. The study by Drummond et al 20 points out that insomniac patients show less activation of the frontoparietal system involved in working memory. In these patients, brain areas typically involved in tasks involving working memory would not be engaged in the operation; no activation was observed for any other brain area to compensate for non activation of this system.…”

“…No study indicated who administered the neuropsychological tests. Only six articles matched participants for age, [12][13][14]16,20,21 in contrast to the other four articles. 15,19,22,40 None of the studies indicated the level of education of the participants, even though it is a well known fact that these variables influence cognitive performance.…”

“…18 The selected studies used different tests, and only four tests were used in common among these ten studies. The N-back task was used in three studies, [19][20][21] Investigate the daytime cognitive performance of patients with chronic insomnia…”

A Case Study Tracking The Cognitive Impact Of Insomnia

“…An investigation of insomniac versus healthy controls on memory consolidation tasks, where recovery sleep was made available, identified the insomniacs as having substantially reduced memory consolidation [7]. Brain injury MRI studies reported reduced activation of task-related working memory regions in insomniac patients as compared to age matched controls [8]. The right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex reflected reduced modulation with increasing task difficulty.…”

“…Insomnia is common in the young adult population [1]. Neurobehavioral measures have substantiated the hyper arousability and reduced cognitive functioning behaviors [2,8]. The current study was designed as a case control study to measure cognitive functioning in a young adult presenting with insomnia.…”