Basal ganglia, beta oscillations, and insomnia

Abstract

Neuroscience Insomnia affects up to 60% of Parkinson's disease patients. Beta oscillations are especially prominent in the basal ganglia in idiopathic Parkinson's disease. Mizrahi-Kliger et al. hypothesized that basal ganglia pathophysiology may not only play a mediating role in Parkinson's motor symptoms but may also contribute to Parkinson's insomnia. Using the vervet monkey Parkinson's model, which replicates the major biochemical, pathological, and clinical signs of the disease, the authors found that beta activity was consistently more prominent and widespread, including during non–rapid eye movement (non-REM) sleep. The Parkinsonian state was accompanied by synchronized beta oscillations across the basal ganglia and cortex. Non-REM sleep beta oscillations associated with reduced cortical slow oscillations increased before spontaneous awakening and were correlated with the degree of insomnia. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 117 , 17359 (2020).