Word: circadian
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 2000-2009
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Harvard Medical School researchers have discovered a cluster of nerve cells behind the eyes that are believed to control the body’s circadian rhythms. Down the road, the discovery could result in new therapies for circadian disturbances, such as certain sleep disorders...
...circadian rhythm is the cycle of daily activity observed in most organisms. The circadian clock itself is an internal mechanism that controls these 24-hour programs, such as the sleep-wake cycle...
...sleep-wake cycle. We’ve only just gotten our foot in the door,” said Associate Professor of Neurobiology Charles J. Weitz ’77, the head of the research team. Although researchers have known about the genes and proteins that cause certain circadian changes, the recent discovery brings to light the actual machinery of the nerve cells, where certain molecular factors are switched on and off to control the daily rhythms...
...chemical factors that control the circadian rhythms work through a receptor known as TGF alpha that then communicates with the nerve cells. The factors regulate daily physical activity, as well as the sleep-wake cycle...
...alpha molecule is not a new discovery—it’s long been known to scientists. But the molecule’s circadian function comes as something of a surprise...