Oxidative stress in patients with primary insomnia

Objective: Many physiological and pathological processes, such as infections, environmental toxins, and ionizing radiation increase bodily concentrations of oxidizing substances, known as free radicals, which lead to neuro-degenerative disorders. Sleep is one of the most important factors contributing to health; however, insomnia is among the most prevalent health complaints. Methods: In this study, for the first time in the literature, we investigated the effects of primary insomnia on certain oxidative stress biomarkers. For this purpose, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities and levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured in 30 patients with primary insomnia and 30 healthy volunteers Results: Our results show that the patients with primary insomnia had significantly lower GSH-Px activity and higher MDA levels compared with the controls. Conclusion: These results may indicate the important role of sleep in attenuating oxidative stress. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.