Work

The effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation on patients with chronic insomnia: a prospective functional near-infrared spectroscopy study

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Chronic insomnia (CI) is a prevalent disorder associated with prefrontal cortex (PFC) dysfunction, and it can significantly impair quality of life and psychological well-being. This study explores the use of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) as a tool for rapid screening of CI and for evaluating the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in improving brain function and clinical symptoms in CI patients. METHODS: A total of 60 participants were enrolled, including 30 healthy controls (HCs) and 30 CI patients. CI patients received a two-week intervention of 1 Hz rTMS targeting the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Symptom severity was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). Hemodynamic differences between CI patients and HCs during a verbal fluency task (VFT) were analyzed using fNIRS. RESULTS: HCs exhibited significantly lower PSQI, SAS, and SDS scores compared to CI patients (p < 0.05). During the VFT, oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) levels in the DLPFC and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) were significantly higher in HCs than in CI patients (p < 0.05). Following rTMS treatment, CI patients demonstrated significantly increased activation in relevant brain regions compared to pre-treatment levels. CONCLUSION: fNIRS has shown considerable potential as a valuable tool for the screening and diagnosis of CI. Compared to HCs, CI patients exhibited significantly weaker PFC responses during the VFT. rTMS treatment was found to alleviate symptoms in CI patients, likely due to its ability to enhance PFC activation.

Source: Sleep Medicine

DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2025.106517

Authors: Xiangrui Liu, Shijing Wang, Xiuqing Niu, Ziming Liu, Xianguo Meng

Institutions: Shandong First Medical University, First Hospital of China Medical University, Shandong Mental Health Center

Language: English

Topic: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies

Subfield: Neurology

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,350