Psychiatry Investig.  2023 May;20(5):439-444. 10.30773/pi.2022.0285.

The Influence of Life Stress and Sleep Disturbance on White Matter Integrity

• Kim M
• Lee J
• Kim N
• Hwang Y
• Lee KH
• Lee J
• Lee YJ
• Kim SJ

• KMID: 2542445
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.30773/pi.2022.0285

Abstract

Objective
This study investigated whether sleep and stress mutually interact to induce changes in white matter integrity.
Methods
Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was conducted on 36 participants (male=22, female=14; mean age=38.33±12.78 years). Participants were divided into three groups depending on their sleep quality and stress levels: poor sleepers with stress, poor sleepers without stress, and good sleepers. Sleep quality and stress level were evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Life Experiences Survey, respectively. Fractional anisotropy (FA) values were calculated employing DTI tractography.
Results
After controlling for age and sex, poor sleepers with stress exhibited a lower FA of the left inferior cerebellar peduncle (ICP) than did poor sleepers without stress (t=2.81, p=0.02). Poor sleepers without stress showed a higher FA of the right middle longitudinal fasciculus (MdLF) than did good sleepers (t=3.35, p=0.006).
Conclusion
The current study reports the effects of sleep, stress, and their interaction on the white matter integrities of the ICP and MdLF. ICP change seems to be associated with sleep disturbances related to stress, while MdLF change would be associated with sleep disturbances unrelated to stress.

Keyword

Stress; Sleep; Inferior cerebellar peduncle; Middle longitudinal fasciculus; Diffusion tensor image