Disruption of circadian clocks has ramifications for metabolism, brain, and behavior.

ABSTRACT: Circadian (daily) rhythms are present in almost all plants and animals. In mammals, a brain clock located in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus maintains synchrony between environmental light/dark cycles and physiology and behavior. Over the past 100 y, especially with the advent of electric lighting, modern society has resulted in a round-the-clock lifestyle, in which natural connections between rest/activity cycles and environmental light/dark cycles have been degraded or even broken. Instances in which rapid changes to sleep patterns are necessary, such as transmeridian air travel, demonstrate negative effects of acute circadian disruption on physiology and behavior. However, the ramifications of chronic disruption of the circadian clock for mental and physical health are not yet

SUBMITTER: Karatsoreos IN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3029753 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature