Circadian Rhythm News and Research

Latest Circadian Rhythm News and Research

Circadian activity rhythm linked to subsequent development of dementia or MCI

Older women with weaker circadian rhythms, who are less physically active or are more active later in the day are more likely to develop dementia or mild cognitive impairment than women who have a more robust circadian rhythm or are more physically active earlier in the day. That's the finding of a new study in the latest issue of the Annals of Neurology.

7 Dec 2011

New First Choice infographic explores issue of SAD and winter blues

First Choice, one of the UK's leading leisure travel companies, has released an infographic that sheds light on how the lack of sunshine during the winter months is affecting a large proportion of the population in northern countries.

24 Nov 2011

Infarct size associated with time of day onset of ischemia

The size of a heart attack and subsequent left-ventricular function are significantly different based on the time of day onset of ischemia, according to a first of its kind study in humans, published online Nov. 17 in Circulation Research.

22 Nov 2011

Study reveals role of circadian rhythms in regenerative capacity of skin stem cells

The investigation reveals the role of the daily biological clock (circadian rhythms) in the regenerative capacity of skin stem cells. Disruption of this rhythm results in premature tissue ageing and a greater predisposition to the development of skin tumours. The

10 Nov 2011

Vanda third quarter total revenues increase to $8.0 million

Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of products for central nervous system disorders, today announced financial and operational results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2011.

4 Nov 2011

Ten rules for good sleep

Generally, it is always easier to stay up an hour later than to go to sleep an hour earlier, so most people have relatively little problem setting the clocks back in the Fall. This is because our basic circadian rhythm (the "body clock") actually seems to be programmed for a longer than 24 hour day: it runs a little slow.

4 Nov 2011

Watson receives FDA approval for Androderm lower-dose formulations

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved its Androderm (testosterone transdermal system) 2 mg and 4 mg formulation.

21 Oct 2011

NSF to hold Sleep Health & Safety conference in Washington

The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) will hold its annual Sleep Health & Safety conference March 2-3, 2012 at the JW Marriott in Washington, DC.

21 Oct 2011

Circadian disruption and sleep restriction increase risk of MS in teens

Researchers from Sweden have uncovered an association between shift work and increased risk of multiple sclerosis. Those who engage in off-hour employment before the age of 20 may be at risk for MS due to a disruption in their circadian rhythm and sleep pattern. Findings of this novel study appear today in Annals of Neurology, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Neurological Association and Child Neurology Society.

18 Oct 2011

Different molecular mechanisms in suprachiasmatic nucleus linked to jet lag differences

It's no secret that long-distance, west-to-east air travel - Seattle to Paris, for example - can raise havoc with a person's sleep and waking patterns, and that the effects are substantially less pronounced when traveling in the opposite direction.

14 Oct 2011

Bedtime consumption of blood pressure medications improves control of hypertension

Patients who take certain popular types of blood pressure medication once a day are able to achieve somewhat better control of their hypertension if they take their daily dose at bedtime, according to a new systematic review.

7 Oct 2011

Discovery of ‘alarm-clock’ gene

Researchers led by Indian-American scientist, Satchidananda Panda at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, Calif., said the gene is responsible for starting the body’s biological clock from its restful state every morning. They add that this may open avenues in research in insomnia or sleeplessness, aging and chronic illnesses.

3 Oct 2011

Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael W. Young and Michael Rosbash to receive 2011 Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize

Columbia University will award the 2011 Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize to Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael W. Young for their work on the molecular basis of circadian rhythms, the first demonstration of a molecular mechanism for behavior.

1 Oct 2011

Researchers identify gene responsible for starting the biological clock

Ever wondered why you wake up in the morning ---- even when the alarm clock isn't making jarring noises? Wonder no more. Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have identified a new component of the biological clock, a gene responsible for starting the clock from its restful state every morning.

1 Oct 2011

Rotating shift pattern may not disrupt circadian rhythm or melatonin production

Recent research suggests that the modern day-day-night-night shift pattern for shift workers may not be as disruptive or as potentially carcinogenic as older, more extreme shift patterns.

28 Sep 2011

Longevity research till date may be riddled with flaws: Study

Research over the last decade showing that proteins called sirtuins can increase lifespan is deeply flawed, according to a new study in Nature that debunks prior claims of a direct causal link.

22 Sep 2011

Researchers demonstrate connection between circadian rhythm, platelet function and cardiovascular risk

Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) have demonstrated that the circadian system, the body's internal clock, regulates human platelet function and causes a peak in platelet activation corresponding to the known morning peak in adverse cardiovascular events. These findings are published in PLoS ONE on September 8, 2011.

9 Sep 2011

Researchers identify five SNPs linked with aggressive, lethal prostate cancer

An international team of researchers led by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has identified five inherited genetic variants that are strongly associated with aggressive, lethal prostate cancer.

17 Aug 2011

Light may play a role in modulating fear and anxiety

Biologists and psychologists know that light affects mood, but a new University of Virginia study indicates that light may also play a role in modulating fear and anxiety.

11 Aug 2011

Humans and zebrafish share mechanisms that regulate the circadian system

Circadian rhythms - the natural cycle that dictates our biological processes over a 24-hour day - does more than tell us when to sleep or wake. Disruptions in the cycle are also associated with depression, problems with weight control, jet lag and more. Now Prof. Yoav Gothilf of Tel Aviv University's Department of Neurobiology at the George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences is looking to the common zebrafish to learn more about how the human circadian system functions.

21 Jul 2011