Sleep disorders often coexist with mood disorders such as anxiety and depression, exacerbating the latter's symptoms. Approximately 80% of individuals with depression experience sleep disorders, characterized by reduced non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, shortened rapid eye movement (REM) sleep latency, and prolonged REM sleep duration. Similarly, patients with anxiety disorders, like post-traumatic stress disorder, frequently report diminished sleep quality. Consequently, investigating the neural mechanisms underlying sleep disorders in mood disorders holds significant clinical relevance.
Studies have demonstrated the crucial role of sleep in regulating mood. Patients with mood disorders may exhibit abnormal changes in sleep-related brain nuclei and neural circuits. Nuclei such as the locus coeruleus and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, known for their involvement in anxiety response, also play a role in sleep-wake regulation. Anxiety-related changes in the activity patterns of these neurons can contribute to sleep disorders. Furthermore, stress can disrupt the balance of neurotransmitters and hormones, such as the hyperactivation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis in individuals with depression, leading to disturbances in sleep-wake regulation. Thus, further exploring potential mechanisms underlying mood disorder-related sleep disorders is of paramount importance.
This research topic focuses on the neural mechanisms of sleep disorders and mood disorders interaction. This topic aims to provide insights into precision clinical treatment through fundamental research. This research topic invites reviews and original papers encompassing the following subjects within the domains of sleep disorders and mood disorders:
1. Phenotypic examination of sleep disorders in mood disorders;
2. Investigation of treatment approaches for sleep disorders in mood disorders;
3. Neural mechanisms underlying mood-related sleep-wake regulation;
4. The interaction between neural mechanisms of sleep disorders and mood disorders.
Keywords: Sleep disorders, mood disorders, anxiety, depression, neural circuits
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