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Insomnia: Pathophysiology, Clinical Phenotypes, and Treatment Options

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Sleepiness and Human Impact Assessment

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Abstract

Insomnia is a prevalent health complaint that may present as a primary disorder or as a comorbid condition to a medical or psychiatric disorder, characterized by a spectrum of symptoms reflecting dissatisfaction with the quality, duration, or continuity of sleep. These complaints may involve problems with falling asleep initially at bedtime, waking up in the middle of the night and having difficulty going back to sleep, non-restorative or unrefreshing sleep. Diagnosis also requires a report of daytime fatigue, cognitive impairments, and mood disturbances. Pathophysiology of insomnia includes both biological and psychological factors. Polysomnography (PSG) remains the gold standard for measuring sleep, and especially insomnia. Besides conventional PSG parameters, additional information can be provided by the investigation of sleep microstructure. Treatment options are based both on pharmacological and nonpharmacological approaches.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neuroscience, Sleep Disorders Center, Neurological Institute, University Hospital of Parma, via Gramsci 14, 43100, Parma, Italy

    Mario Giovanni Terzano, Liborio Parrino, Andrea Grassi & Giulia Milioli

Authors
  1. Mario Giovanni Terzano
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  2. Liborio Parrino
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  3. Andrea Grassi
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  4. Giulia Milioli
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mario Giovanni Terzano .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neuroscience,Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology,Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), Centre of Sleep Medicine, Università di Genova, Genova, Italy

    Sergio Garbarino

  2. Department of Neurosciences, Centre of Sleep Medicine, Niguarda Hospital, Milan, Italy

    Lino Nobili

  3. Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

    Giovanni Costa

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Terzano, M.G., Parrino, L., Grassi, A., Milioli, G. (2014). Insomnia: Pathophysiology, Clinical Phenotypes, and Treatment Options. In: Garbarino, S., Nobili, L., Costa, G. (eds) Sleepiness and Human Impact Assessment. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-5388-5_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-5388-5_17

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Milano

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  • Online ISBN: 978-88-470-5388-5

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