Articles tagged with Biological Rhythms
Scientists at University of Cambridge identified a signalling molecule governing plant circadian clock response to environmental changes. This discovery alters the current understanding of the circadian clock and may have significant implications for agriculture.
A University of California, Irvine study identifies a single amino acid that triggers circadian rhythms, opening up potential for new pharmaceuticals to treat sleep disorders and related ailments. The finding uncovers the most specific information about the body's internal clock to date.
Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have found a protein called Rev-erb that coordinates the body's daily oxygen cycle to maintain correct metabolism. This discovery provides new pathways for treating metabolic disorders like obesity and diabetes.
Researchers found that high-fat diets can shift mice's activity patterns, causing them to eat more during the day and altering molecular components of the circadian clock. The study suggests that metabolic processes, like nutrient status, may influence the internal body clock.
Researchers at Harvard University have found that a simple circadian clock can maintain an accurate 24-hour cycle through the rhythmic addition and subtraction of phosphate groups on a single protein. This discovery builds upon previous research and has implications for understanding general feedback mechanisms in organisms.
Researchers found that mice lacking a critical component of the retinal clock exhibit abnormal gene activity and defective electrical responses, but their eyes appear normal. The study suggests that the retina's autonomous circadian clock plays a crucial role in visual processing.
The discovery explains how plants time their growth to take advantage of resources such as light and water. The researchers found that the circadian clock regulates nearly every step in the auxin signaling pathway, with activity peaking late at night when water is most available.
A study from Colorado State University reveals that circadian rhythms regulate the function of all genes in mammals, influencing metabolism and health. Researchers analyzed data from thousands of genes using advanced algorithms to identify patterns of oscillation.
Researchers found that sick flies lose their circadian rhythm patterns when infected with bacteria, leading to shorter periods of continuous sleep. This disruption affects the immune system, making infected flies more susceptible to infection and increasing their mortality rate.
A recent study by Scripps Research Institute scientists has identified intercellular mechanisms as essential to maintaining cellular circadian clocks. The research highlights the importance of networked electrical and neurochemical interactions in sustaining cellular rhythms, offering new insights into the circadian clock's operation.
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center found that the Clock gene, regulating biological clocks, is involved in developing bipolar disorder in mice. The study reveals behaviors similar to humans with bipolar disorder, including hyperactivity and euphoria, which are restored by lithium treatment.
The stability of cellular oscillators depends on specific biochemical processes, reflecting recent association studies. The researchers' mathematical model identified the molecular parameters responsible for the stability of internal body clocks.
Researchers found a significant circadian rhythm in swim performance, with athletes performing better in the evening and worse in the morning. The study's results suggest that a circadian rhythm affects athletic performance, with peak performance occurring at 11pm.
Researchers found that human circadian clocks couple to local sun time, with chronotypes becoming later in densely populated areas. City dwellers experience decreased influence of local sun time relative to rural residents.
The honey bee's molecular structure of its biological clock is more similar to mammals than to flies, according to groundbreaking research. The key genes involved in the biological clock were identified and characterized, opening up new directions for understanding complex behaviors like sun-compass navigation and time sensing.
Researchers have elucidated the role of adrenal clocks in maintaining circadian rhythms. The adrenal gland contains a peripheral clock that defines a time window for responding to external stimuli, regulating corticosterone release and stabilizing physiological rhythms.
A study by UT Southwestern Medical Center found that the timing of food consumption can activate genes in a specific brain area, including the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus. This discovery may help explain why dysfunctional eating patterns contribute to human obesity.
Researchers found that Bmal1-deficient mice experience premature aging due to oxidative stress and genotoxic stress, leading to weight loss, organ shrinkage, and early death. The study suggests BMAL1 as a potential target for alleviating specific age-related pathologies.
Researchers found that genetic mutations cause the PERIOD protein to degrade more quickly, contradicting previous thinking. This discovery could lead to new treatments for sleep disorders and depression by manipulating the circadian rhythm.
Researchers found that patients taking ramelteon experienced a significant advancement of dim light melatonin secretion offset compared to placebo. The results suggest that ramelteon may help people adjust to time zone changes and shift their natural circadian rhythm.
Researchers at University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine discovered that Rev-erb is a critical component of the internal molecular clock in mammals and is sensitive to lithium. Lithium inhibits GSK3, preventing destruction of Rev-erb, which leads to activation of clock genes such as bmal1.
Researchers have discovered a precise timer formed by Period and Timeless proteins that counts off six hours, creating an 'interval timer' that governs the cell's circadian rhythm. This discovery opens up new questions about the complex interactions between proteins in the cellular clock.
Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) adapt to lighting conditions, sending signals about overall brightness to the brain. This adaptation allows ipRGCs to regulate pupil size and circadian rhythms.
Researchers discovered that light-sensing retinal ganglion cells are active and functioning at birth, surprising the developmental timeline of the mouse retina. The cells react to light in two ways, sending messages to parts of the brain controlling circadian rhythms and visual development.
Researchers at Duke University explore the neural mechanisms of interval timing, a fundamental process involved in tasks like walking, speech recognition, and learning. They propose a new model involving the 'coincidence detection' of oscillatory patterns, which integrates information from various brain structures.
Researchers found that daily temperature cycles can reset zebrafish clocks, triggering changes in specific clock genes. This discovery sheds light on how temperature affects biological systems and may have implications for mammals.
Scientists have developed a novel method to measure circadian cycles in human cells, finding large differences between individuals' rhythms. The study used skin samples infected with a fluorescent virus to track circadian gene expression, confirming the human circadian cycle length of 24.5 hours.
Researchers found that women who labored between noon and 6 p.m. received an average of 27 percent longer pain relief from a single dose of spinal-epidural medication fentanyl compared to those who labored between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m.
Researchers at U of T have identified heme as the molecule that allows protein E75 to regulate metabolic processes such as metabolism and circadian rhythms. The study, published in Cell, sheds light on how people metabolize fat, regulate their bodies' clocks, and age.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have determined how serotonin decreases sensitivity to light and its role in maintaining circadian rhythm. The study suggests that serotonin may play a role in seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and other mood disorders.
Researchers found that cells in the caudal region of the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) synchronize their gene-expression rhythms to dawn, while those in the rostral SCN exhibit an opposite response. This suggests that synchronous gene expression may be a hallmark of short-day acclimation, while regional de-synchrony increases on long days.
Researchers found that intrinsically photoreceptive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) are present at birth and act as functional photoreceptors, providing input to the suprachiasmatic nucleus. This discovery has implications for the effect of light on early retinal development.
A study by UT Southwestern researchers found that the Clock gene regulates reward responses to cocaine and dopamine pathways. The study suggests a link between disrupted circadian rhythms and the tendency to abuse drugs.
Researchers discovered that rat brains exhibit distinct responses to a six-hour delay in the light schedule, with one region adapting quickly and another taking several days. The study suggests that this difference in response is due to the neurotransmitter GABA, which affects brain regions differently.
Differences in UV perception allow songbirds to signal with private communication, while chestnut trees go silent during winter due to circadian clock gene regulation. A fungus has an energy-generating mechanism similar to bacteria, enabling it to harness light for proton pumping
Researchers identified molecular and behavioral changes in mice with a faulty circadian system, which can lead to obesity and metabolic syndrome. The study suggests that misregulated genes in various tissues cause metabolic changes, leading to weight gain and related disorders.
A recent study by Fred W. Turek and Joseph Bass found a possible link between sleep disturbances and metabolic syndrome in mutant mice. The research suggests that altered circadian rhythms and hormone regulation, including leptin and ghrelin, may play a role in the development of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Researchers have discovered that a faulty body clock can wreak havoc on the body's metabolism, increasing the risk of obesity and diabetes. In a study published in Science, scientists found that mice with a misaligned internal timepiece gained weight and developed metabolic abnormalities when fed regular or high-fat diets.
A genetic mutation in a previously unknown circadian rhythm gene causes Familial Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome (FASPS), shifting people's sleep times and daily schedules. Affected individuals live normal lives, but some struggle with being out of sync with the world.
Researchers discover a significant circadian rhythm in heartbeat dynamics, but not in motor activity. They also find similar wakefulness periods across mammalian species, suggesting self-organized criticality in sleep patterns.
The study reveals that VIP peptide is essential for synchronizing the brain's biological clock, which regulates daily rhythms in behavior and physiology. Mice lacking VIP suffered from internal desynchrony, while adding VIP restored synchronicity.
Researchers discovered that melanopsin, a protein in the eyes, absorbs light and triggers a biochemical cascade to signal the brain about brightness. This allows ipRGCs to synchronize the body's daily rhythms with the sun's rising and setting, controlling alertness, sleep, hormone production, and organ function.
Researchers at NYU developed a mathematical model that replicates the complex network of molecular interactions within a cell's circadian clock. The study found that rapid binding and unbinding of regulatory molecules is crucial for accurate timekeeping, contradicting the notion that more molecules lead to better accuracy.
Researchers at Boston University analyzed heartbeat data from five healthy volunteers to understand the impact of circadian cycles on cardiac rhythms. The study found that the internal body clock influences cardiac fluctuations, with values showing a strong correlation when considering the entire 28-hour cycle.
Researchers found that individual fibroblasts in rat and mouse tissues exhibit robust, persistent circadian rhythms of clock gene expression for at least 1-2 weeks in culture. This discovery confirms that peripheral tissue clocks are indeed independent and self-sustaining.
Researchers identified Lmo mutants in Drosophila that showed increased response to cocaine, indicating a potential link between the fly's internal clock and drug sensitivity. The study found that Lmo-related proteins are present in key areas of mammalian brains, suggesting implications for understanding human addiction.
A mouse study revealed that the molecular clock genes Bmal1 and Clock play a crucial role in regulating blood sugar levels. Disrupting these genes led to impaired glucose regulation, even with insulin treatment. The study suggests that our internal circadian clock may influence blood sugar control beyond diet.
A study found that lung function has a natural rhythm that affects energy levels and best times for exercise and treatments. Patients with respiratory conditions may benefit from adapting therapies to their individual circadian rhythms.
Researchers discovered that flies have two activity peaks due to dual circadian clocks, one governing morning activity and the other evening. The studies revealed that specific groups of neurons, including ventral lateral and dorsal lateral neurons, govern these peaks.
Male fruit flies without specific circadian clock genes spend up to 30-50% more time in copulation than normal counterparts. The findings broaden the known behaviors controlled by these genes and suggest they may regulate biological processes within short and long time scales.
A study published in Neuron found that the activation of PKG-II enzyme is crucial for the internal clock to signal the completion of nighttime processes and enter the day. Disrupting this enzyme's activity leads to a significant phase delay in circadian rhythm, effectively forcing the clock back in time.
Researchers have created a molecular timetable that can accurately determine an animal's body time based on gene expression levels. The study identified 168 genes with high amplitude circadian patterns and organized them into a daily schedule, revealing a highly accurate method for measuring body time.
Researchers found that disrupting the circadian clock gene led to abnormal estrous cycles and high rates of mid-gestation pregnancy failure. The study's findings have implications for human infertility, particularly for women working swing-shifts, who are more susceptible to irregular menstrual cycles and miscarriage.
A study of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and fatigue found a relationship between fatigue and abnormal sleep cycles or disrupted sleep. Nine out of 15 MS patients with fatigue scored high on a sleep scale test, indicating excessive daytime sleepiness.
The CONSTANS protein plays a central role in triggering flowering in plants, accumulating in the nuclei of cells under long days but not in short days. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute have discovered that specific photoreceptors detect blue and far-red light to stabilize CONSTANS protein, allowing it to activate flowering genes.
Research suggests eye disease is a risk factor for sleep disorders, particularly in patients with optic nerve disease. The study found that visually impaired subjects with optic nerve disease were nine times more likely to experience pathologic sleepiness than those with normal sight.
A study by Ohio State University researchers found that the genes TOC1 and ZTL control a plant's circadian clock. The study revealed a strong physical interaction between these genes, with ZTL degrading TOC1 to regulate the clock's pace. This discovery sheds light on mechanisms controlling plant flowering time and may benefit agriculture.
Recent research suggests that at least eight central 'clock' genes coordinate cell proliferation and apoptosis in circadian time. Studies have shown that tumor growth is organized within a daily cycle, with tumors growing twice as fast during the active phase. This discovery may lead to new therapeutic targets for cancer treatment.
Researchers found that Arabidopsis plants from different latitudes exhibit significant variations in their circadian clocks, suggesting an adaptation to optimize fitness. The study identified five chromosomal regions contributing to the clock mechanism, including multiple genes that work together to control different parts of the process.
Researchers at the University of Illinois discovered that the timeless gene is essential for regulating the 24-hour circadian rhythm in mammals. Blocking its functional ability disrupts the clock's activity and leads to an uncoupling effect, where other clock genes are no longer able to function properly.