The amygdala is important in processing emotion and in the acquisition and expression of fear and anxiety, Dr. Saper noted.

When normal people sleep, the major portions of the brain's cortex quiets but "the entire brain doesn't go to sleep with insomniacs," explained Eric Nofzinger, M.D., of the University of Pittsburgh, demonstrating how positron emission tomography and functional magnetic resonance imaging have enlightened research into how the brain operates in insomniacs compared with those who sleep well.

In insomniacs, the limbic system is activated, said Dr. Nofzinger, and suggested that drugs that could target that system might help sleep patterns of these patients.

The symposium was sponsored by SciMed and supported by grants from Merck and Lundberg. Dr. Harrison and Dr. Nofzinger said they had no relevant conflicts of interest to disclose. Dr. Saper said he had possible financial conflicts of interest with Merck and Sepracor inc. Dr. Walsh disclosed he had possible financial conflicts of interest with Actelion, Cephalon, Elan, Eli Lilly & Co., Evotec, GlaxoSmithKline, Guilford Pharmaceuticals Inc., King Pharmaceuticals Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., Merck KGaA, Neurocrine Biosciences, Nuerogen, Pfizer Inc., Respironics, sanofi-aventis, Sepracor Inc., SleepTech, Somaxon, Takeda Pharmaceuticals Inc., TransOral Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
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