Work

Disrupted network reconfiguration during task switching in insomnia: the role of sleep-related attentional bias

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Cognitive flexibility, a core component of executive function, is frequently impaired in individuals with insomnia. However, the neural mechanisms underlying this impairment, particularly in response to sleep-related stimuli, remain unclear. A total of 48 participants, comprising 24 individuals with insomnia disorder (ID) and 24 healthy controls (HC), were recruited to perform a modified task-switching paradigm incorporating sleep-related (e.g., bed) and general stimuli during functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) scanning. Behavioral measures (reaction time, accuracy, and switch cost), task activation and generalized psychophysiological interaction (gPPI)-based task-dependent functional connectivity were analyzed. Two subjective questionaires, the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory and the Insomnia Severity Index were collectely simultaneously. The ID group exhibited significantly lower CFI scores compared to the HC group, indicating subjective cognitive flexibility impairment. Notably, in the task-switching performance, the ID group demonstrated faster reaction times to sleep-related stimuli. fMRI results revealed altered activation in the right precuneus, angular gyrus, and superior temporal gyrus, with interaction effects between group and stimulus type. The gPPI analyses showed that, compared to HC, ID group exhibited enhanced connectivity between the precuneus and cerebellar under sleep stimulus conditions, as well as disrupted connectivity between the angular gyrus and frontal-parietal regions, and reduced integration from the superior temporal gyrus to multiple association regions across networks. These findings suggest that insomnia is characterized by both subjective deficits in cognitive flexibility and altered neural network dynamics during task switching, with sleep-related stimuli exerting a significant modulatory effect. Enhanced attention captured by sleep-related information may interfere with the optimal task-related network coordination, providing a potential mechanism linking insomnia to executive dysfunction. Not applicable.

Source: BMC Psychiatry

DOI: 10.1186/s12888-026-08635-4

Authors: Shiyan Yang, Zhangwei Lv, Zilu Zhang, Xu Lei

Institutions: Southwest University, Second Military Medical University, Flinders University

Language: English

Topic: Sleep and related disorders

Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,290