Research Perspective Volume 3, Issue 8 pp 813—817
Aging and Circadian Disruption: Causes and Effects
- 1 Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- 2 Neurobiology Laboratory for Brain Aging and Mental Health, Psychiatric University Clinics Basel, Basel, Switzerland
Received: July 9, 2011 Accepted: July 27, 2011 Published: August 22, 2011
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Abstract
The relationship between aging and daily “circadian” behavior in humans is bidirectional: on the one hand, dysfunction of circadian clocks promotes age-related maladies; on the other, aging per se leads to changes and disruption in circadian behavior and physiology. For the latter case, recent research suggests that changes to both homeostatic and circadian sleep regulatory mechanisms may play a role. Could hormonal changes be in part responsible?