Age-dependent changes of the circadian system

被引:146
作者
Weinert, D [1 ]
机构
[1] Univ Halle Wittenberg, Inst Zool, D-06108 Halle, Germany
关键词
aging; human; laboratory mice; rhythm disturbances; rodents; treatment;
D O I
10.1081/CBI-100101048
中图分类号
Q [生物科学];
学科分类号
07 ; 0710 ; 09 ;
摘要
This review summarizes the current knowledge on changes of the circadian system in advanced age, mainly for rodents. The first part is dedicated to changes of the overt rhythms. Possible causes are discussed, as are methods to treat the disturbances. In aging animals and humans, all rhythm characters change. The most prominent changes are the decrease of the amplitude and the diminished ability to synchronize with a periodic environment. The susceptibility to photic and nonphotic cues is decreased. As a consequence, both internal and external temporal order are disturbed under steady-state conditions and, even more, following changes in the periodic environment. Due to the high complexity of the circadian system, which includes oscillator(s), mechanisms of external synchronization and of internal coupling, the changes may arise for several reasons. Many of the changes seem to occur within the SCN itself. The number of functioning neurons decreases with advancing age and, probably, so does the coupling between them. As a result, the SCN is unable, or at least less able, to produce stable rhythms and to transmit timing information to target sites. Initially, only the ability to synchronize with the periodic environment is diminished, whereas the rhythms themselves continue to be well pronounced. Therefore, the possibility exists to treat age-dependent disturbances. This can be done pharmacologically or by increasing the zeitgeber strength. So, some of the rhythm disturbances can be reversed, increasing the magnitude of the light-dark (LD) zeitgeber. Another possibility is to strengthen feedback effects, for example, by increasing the daily amount of activity. By this means, the stability and synchronization of the circadian activity rhythm of old mice and men were improved.
引用
收藏
页码:261 / 283
页数:23
相关论文
共 151 条
[1]  
ASCHOFF J, 1975, CHRONOBIOLOGIA, V2, P23
[3]   LIFE-TIME OF FLIES UNDER INFLUENCE OF TIME SHIFTS [J].
ASCHOFF, J .
NATURWISSENSCHAFTEN, 1971, 58 (11) :574-&
[4]   CIRCADIAN-RHYTHMS OF LOCOMOTOR ACTIVITY IN GOLDEN-HAMSTER (MESOCRICETUS-AURATUS) MEASURED WITH 2 DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES [J].
ASCHOFF, J ;
FIGALA, J ;
POPPEL, E .
JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE AND PHYSIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY, 1973, 85 (01) :20-28
[5]  
ASCHOFF J, 1994, EVOLUTION CIRCADIAN, P23
[6]   A serum shock induces circadian gene expression in mammalian tissue culture cells [J].
Balsalobre, A ;
Damiola, F ;
Schibler, U .
CELL, 1998, 93 (06) :929-937
[7]   Light-induced phase shifts of circadian activity rhythms and immediate early gene expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus are attenuated in old C3H/HeN mice [J].
Benloucif, S ;
Masana, MI ;
Dubocovich, ML .
BRAIN RESEARCH, 1997, 747 (01) :34-42
[8]   EFFECTS OF LIGHT ON SLEEP AND ACTIVITY RHYTHMS [J].
BORBELY, AA .
PROGRESS IN NEUROBIOLOGY, 1978, 10 (01) :1-31
[9]   CHRONOBIOLOGY AND AGING [J].
BROCK, MA .
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, 1991, 39 (01) :74-91
[10]   AGING ALTERS RESYNCHRONIZATION OF THE CIRCADIAN SYSTEM IN RATS AFTER A SHIFT OF THE LIGHT-DARK CYCLE [J].
BURESOVA, M ;
BENESOVA, O ;
ILLNEROVA, H .
EXPERIENTIA, 1990, 46 (01) :75-77