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State-of-the-art neuroimaging techniques have accelerated progress in the study and understanding of sleep in humans. Neuroimaging studies in primary insomnia remain relatively few, considering the important prevalence of this disorder in the general population. This review examines the contribution of functional and structural neuroimaging to our current understanding of primary insomnia. Functional studies during sleep provided support for the hyperarousal theory of insomnia. Functional neuroimaging also revealed abnormalities in cognitive and emotional processing in primary insomnia. Results from structural studies suggest neuroanatomical alterations in primary insomnia, mostly in the hippocampus, anterior cingulate cortex and orbitofrontal cortex. However, these results are not well replicated across studies. A few magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies revealed abnormalities in neurotransmitter concentrations and bioenergetics in primary insomnia. The inconsistencies among neuroimaging findings on insomnia are likely due to clinical heterogeneity, differences in imaging and overall diversity of techniques and designs employed. Larger samples, replication, as well as innovative methodologies are necessary for the progression of this perplexing, yet promising area of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Résumé: La fatigue et les troubles du sommeil affectent à des degrés divers la qualité de vie des patients atteints de cancer. Ils ne mettent pas en jeu le pronostic vital, mais ils sont source de gêne importante et encore traités de façon insatisfaisante. Cet article est consacré à la fatigue et aux troubles du sommeil des patients atteints de cancer colorectal. L’accent est mis sur la nécessité d’un bilan clinique de la fatigue et des troubles du sommeil, sur les différentes échelles, index, inventaires, questionnaires disponibles, sur les enregistrements actigraphiques et polysomnographiques éventuels, sur la sémiologie de ces troubles, leurs facteurs de développement et sur les méthodes thérapeutiques récentes qui, d’une façon générale, ne connaissent pas encore la diffusion qu’elles méritent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

State-of-the-art neuroimaging techniques have accelerated progress in the study and understanding of sleep in humans. Neuroimaging studies in primary insomnia remain relatively few, considering the important prevalence of this disorder in the general population. This review examines the contribution of functional and structural neuroimaging to our current understanding of primary insomnia. Functional studies during sleep provided support for the hyperarousal theory of insomnia. Functional neuroimaging also revealed abnormalities in cognitive and emotional processing in primary insomnia. Results from structural studies suggest neuroanatomical alterations in primary insomnia, mostly in the hippocampus, anterior cingulate cortex and orbitofrontal cortex. However, these results are not well replicated across studies. A few magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies revealed abnormalities in neurotransmitter concentrations and bioenergetics in primary insomnia. The inconsistencies among neuroimaging findings on insomnia are likely due to clinical heterogeneity, differences in imaging and overall diversity of techniques and designs employed. Larger samples, replication, as well as innovative methodologies are necessary for the progression of this perplexing, yet promising area of research., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)