Researchers at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience announced on Mar. 12 that they have identified seven different types of hyperarousal present across a range of mental disorders. The study involved nearly five hundred participants from sleepregister.nl who completed a comprehensive survey combining questionnaires for various mental health conditions.
Hyperarousal is known to play an important role in disorders such as insomnia, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and ADHD. However, researchers have not always agreed on what exactly constitutes hyperarousal. First author Tom Bresser said, "Within sleep research, we already know a great deal about the role of hyperarousal in insomnia. But hyperarousal also plays a major role in many other mental disorders." He added that understanding the true nature of hyperarousal could improve knowledge about insomnia, anxiety, and depression.
The study found that almost every type of hyperarousal occurred across multiple disorders, but the severity varied among people with different diagnoses such as insomnia, depression, anxiety, panic disorder, PTSD, and ADHD. Based on these findings, the team developed a new questionnaire designed to measure the different types of hyperarousal more easily and comprehensively. "Instead of having to search for the right combination of questionnaires, researchers can now use this tool to map hyperarousal much more easily and comprehensively," Bresser said.
The sleep lab has already begun using this questionnaire in studies focused on insomnia and anxiety. In addition to developing this tool, Bresser is investigating which brain mechanisms are involved in each type of hyperarousal. "We hope to better understand which brain regions are involved in which type of hyperarousal," he said.
Bresser expressed hope that the questionnaire will eventually be used in clinical practice as well. "Often someone comes to a psychologist with disorder A, but it turns out they also have a predisposition for disorder B or C," he explained. By using the combined questionnaire, underlying forms of hyperarousal may become clearer and help psychologists provide more targeted treatment plans tailored to individual patients' needs.
"We therefore hope that healthcare professionals will be willing to try out the questionnaire in practice," Bresser concluded.
