The role of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in conflict control during insomnia disorder

Background: Patients with insomnia are often accompanied by cognitive dysfunction, which seriously affects the quality of life of patients. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can induce brain neuroplasticity, regulate brain cognitive function and inhibitory control ability. Objective: To explore the intervention effect of rTMS on conflict control and sleep quality in patients with insomnia. Methods: In this single-blind, randomized controlled trial, 39 people with insomnia disorder were randomly divided into real stimulation group and sham stimulation group. The stimulation parameters were stimulation frequency 1 Hz, stimulation intensity 80 % resting motor threshold (RMT), total pulse number 1500 times, time 25 min, and the whole course of treatment lasted 7 days. The Insomnia Severity Index(ISI),Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI),Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory(MFI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory(BAI) were assessed at pretest (baseline) and posttest (day 7 after intervention), and the color-word stroop task was used to measure the conflict control ability of the subjects. Results: The sleep quality, correct rate and reaction time of the posttest in the real stimulus group were higher than those in the pretest. However, there was no significant difference between the pretest and posttest in the sham stimulation group. Conclusions: rTMS stimulation of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (LDLPFC) in patients with insomnia can significantly improve the conflict control ability and sleep quality of patients with insomnia.