Those who sleep poorly have smaller brains, a study has found.
Scientists compared data from several dozen MRI studies of people with insomnia, apnea, sleepwalking and other sleep disorders:.
The left thalamus, which helps focus and process information, had less tissue and was less dense.
The posterior cerebral cortex, associated with motivation and decision-making, also turned out to be smaller.
Both areas are part of the neural networks on which thinking and emotions depend.
Researchers suggest that these changes may explain why people with sleep disorders react more slowly and are more likely to make mistakes.
Sleep, condition.