Word: circadian
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Researchers think that age-related sleeping problems are caused, at least in part, by improper synchronizing of the human circadian pacemaker, or the "body clock." Currently, however, no one is sure how this happens, although it has been noted that bright light can help both aging people and astronauts "reset" their pacemakers...
...with its 100,000 bits of information on sleep patterns, mood swings and hormone levels, is an important step towards isolating a parallel gene in humans. This could allow scientists to zero in on the causes of diseases such as insomnia and depression that are related to disturbances in circadian rhythms. It may also help explain why medical conditions such as asthma and heart disease worsen at certain hours. To do so, scientists must isolate ten more genes related to bodily rhythms. Maybe even in humans...
...Shift work is a kind of stress," Kawachi said. "It disrupts the body's circadian rhythms. You lose sleep. The body responds by pumping out hormones like adrenaline and cortisone...
...monitoring and careful control make the circadian rhythm and sleep studies expensive--averaging about $3,500 per day per subject, according to Jayne...
Harvard students can participate in circadian rhythm research in three ways: They can apply for a Nathariel Kleitman Fellowship, work as a work/study lab technician or volunteer as subjects in a study. The Kleitman Fellowship is a summer program founded by Megan E. Jewett '87, a resident tutor at Currier House, to honor the American researcher to first discover REM sleep...