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In response to light exposure, alertness levels can increase as a result of suppression of melatonin secretion. [3] [6] A linear relationship has been found between alerting effects of light and activation in the posterior hypothalamus. [3] [24] Disruption of circadian rhythm as a result of light also produces changes in metabolism. [4]
A circadian rhythm (/ s ər ˈ k eɪ d i ə n /), or circadian cycle, is a natural oscillation that repeats roughly every 24 hours.Circadian rhythms can refer to any process that originates within an organism (i.e., endogenous) and responds to the environment (is entrained by the environment).
In vertebrates, the master circadian clock is contained within the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), a bilateral nerve cluster of about 20,000 neurons. [10] [11] The SCN itself is located in the hypothalamus, a small region of the brain situated directly above the optic chiasm, where it receives input from specialized photosensitive ganglion cells in the retina via the retinohypothalamic tract.
Light therapy can also be used to treat circadian rhythm sleep disorders. These disorders are caused by discrepancies between one’s circadian rhythm and the light/dark cycle of the environment. People with a sleep disorder experience insomnia or hypersomnia .
Phase response curves for light and for melatonin administration. In humans and animals, there is a regulatory system that governs the phase relationship of an organism's internal circadian clock to a regular periodicity in the external environment (usually governed by the solar day).
Overview, including some physiological parameters, of the human circadian rhythm ("biological clock").. Chronobiology is a field of biology that examines timing processes, including periodic (cyclic) phenomena in living organisms, such as their adaptation to solar- and lunar-related rhythms. [1]
Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that has been linked to various potential health benefits such as weight loss and reduced inflammation. Past studies have also shown potential negative ...
Photobiology is the scientific study of the beneficial and harmful interactions of light (technically, non-ionizing radiation) in living organisms. [1] The field includes the study of photophysics, photochemistry, photosynthesis, photomorphogenesis, visual processing, circadian rhythms, photomovement, bioluminescence, and ultraviolet radiation effects.