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Review
. 2025 Aug 22:18:4635-4645.
doi: 10.2147/IJGM.S547865. eCollection 2025.

The Pathogenesis and Treatment of Insomnia Combined with Depression

Yifan Chang  1 , Lu Liu  1 , Xiaodong Xu  2 , Shiqiang Zhang  2
Affiliations
Review

The Pathogenesis and Treatment of Insomnia Combined with Depression

Yifan Chang et al. Int J Gen Med. .

Abstract

Under the fast pace and high pressure of modern society, many people suffer from sleep disorders such as insomnia, and then suffer from depression and anxiety. This article may lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms of insomnia combined with depression and its treatment. Vital and meaningful, these mechanisms include synaptic plasticity, neurotransmitter dysfunction, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis, and diminished brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels. Evidence for mechanism-guided integrated therapies is scarce. In clinical practice, pharmacological therapies, including antidepressants, Cognitive behavioural therapy(CBT), physiotherapeutics, acupuncture treatment, and mindfulness interventions, are generally utilised. A more profound comprehension of the pathophysiological mechanisms and the development of comprehensive and effective treatment strategies for insomnia co-occurring with depression can enhance neuropsychiatrists' ability to manage this comorbidity more effectively. This study bridges these gaps by delineating novel neurobiological crosslinks underlying comorbidity and establishing a targeted combined intervention protocol.

Keywords: cognitive behavioral therapy; depression; insomnia; pathogenesis; sleep.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A summary of the the pathogenesis of insomnia combined with depression.
Figure 2
Figure 2
A summary of the the treatment of insomnia combined with depression.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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