MENTAL HEALTH ANTECEDENTS OF EARLY MIDLIFE INSOMNIA Mental Health Antecedents of Early Midlife Insomnia: Evidence from a Four- Decade Longitudinal Study

1767 Mental Health Antecedents of Midlife Insomnia—Goldman-Mellor et al. INTRODUCTION Insomnia is a highly prevalent condition that affects 10% to 20% of adults and constitutes a major public health and economic burden.1-5 The pathogenesis of adult insomnia, however, is incompletely understood. Preexisting mental health problems appear to constitute one important risk indicator. Insomnia and other psychiatric disorders, particularly depression and anxiety, are highly comorbid in cross-sectional samples.3,6,7 The mechanisms underlying this comorbidity are still uncertain and likely to be complex in nature. Many studies show that individuals with insomnia are more likely to develop future psychiatric disorders.8-10 Researchers have also reported, however, that psychopathology—most notably the internalizing disorders of depression and anxiety—may manifest prior to and increase risk for the development of adult insomnia.11-16 This developmental vulnerability to insomnia may involve more psychopathologies and begin earlier than previous studies MENTAL HEALTH ANTECEDENTS OF EARLY MIDLIFE INSOMNIA