Frontal Cerebral Hypothermia Found To Be Possible New Treatment For Insomnia

Main Category: Sleep / Sleep Disorders / Insomnia
Also Included In: Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 14 Jun 2009 - 2:00 PDT

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Insomnia is associated with increased frontal cerebral metabolism during Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. Cerebral hypothermia, or cooling of the brain, has been found to reduce cerebral metabolism in other medical conditions, but its effects in insomnia are unknown.

In a University of Pittsburgh study by Eric Nofzinger, M.D., professor of psychiatry, patients with insomnia who received a mild hypothermic stimulus to their scalps an hour before bedtime and during the first REM cycle of sleep showed reduced brain metabolism in the frontal cortex and reduced core body temperature.

Three-quarters of the patients also reported other benefits such as less distracting thoughts before bedtime and an overall better and more refreshing sleep. Dr. Nofzinger notes that further clinical trials are necessary to determine the efficiency of this treatment for chronic insomnia.

Source
University of Pittsburgh