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Cited by 75Circadian rhythm and melatoninHypothalamic control of reproductive hormonesSleep and Wakefulness Research

Chapter 23 Biological rhythms in the human life cycle and their relationship to functional changes in the suprachiasmatic nucleus

Swaab, D.F., Van Someren, E.J.W., Zhou, J.N., Hofman, M.A.·1996·Progress in Brain Research
DOI 10.1016/s0079-6123(08)60418-5
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Abstract

Biological rhythms play a prominent role in the human life cycle. The endogenous rhythms are entrained by the environment and have an astronomical counterpart which is obvious for daily, monthly, and yearly rhythms, and may possibly also be present in weekly rhythms. Circadian rhythms are present in, e.g. testosterone levels, spontaneous birth, strokes, and death from cardiovascular causes. Circaseptan rhythms are present in, e.g. spontaneous birth, 17-ketosteroid levels, myocardial infarctions, and strokes. The relationship of these rhythms with the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) has not yet been established. Circatrigintan rhythms, such as the menstrual cycle, have so far not been associated with the SCN. Circannual rhythms are present in, e.g. mood, suicides, reproduction, birth weight, sleep and season of birth of psychiatric patients. The human SCN shows strong circadian and circannual fluctuations in the number of neurons expressing vasopressin. The vasopressin and VIP cell population of the SCN develop late, i.e. for a major part postnatally. After the age of 50 the amplitudes of circadian and circannual fluctuations of the vasopressin cell numbers are reduced whereas the number of vasopressin expressing neurons decreases after the age of 80 and do so even more and earlier in Alzheimer's disease. Sex differences are present in the shape of the vasopressin subnucleus of the SCN and in the vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) cell number. The sex differences in the SCN, the doubling of the number of vasopressin neurons in the SCN of homosexual men, and a variety of animal experimental observations indicate that the SCN is involved in sexual behavior and reproduction. The exact role of the SCN in these processes is subject to current research.

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  • The central circadian pacemaker synchronizes with the 24-h day via light-dark cycles, but longer-term photoperiod shifts across seasons (circannual rhythms) also modulate physiological systems.

    “The central circadian pacemaker synchronizes with the 24-h day via light-dark cycles, but longerterm photoperiod shifts across seasons (circannual rhythms) also modulate physiological systems (Swaab et al., 1996;Onishi et al., 2020).”

    From Seasonal Variation in Sleep, Respiratory, and Cardiovascular Parameters Assessed by a Wearable Device (2026) · cites this paper as Swaab et al., 1996

  • In humans, the decrease in VIP occurs in a gender-specific way, mostly in males.

    “In humans, the decrease in VIP occurs in a gender-specific way, i.e., in males mostly [77].”

    From Sleep, vigilance, and thermosensitivity (2012) · cites this paper as [77]

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Authors
Swaab, D. F., Van Someren, E. J. W., Zhou, J. N., & Hofman, M. A.
ORCID
Venue
Progress in Brain Research
Publisher
Elsevier
Published
1996
Volume
111
Pages
349-368
ISSN
0079-6123 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/s0079-6123(08)60418-5
OpenAlex
W1932724610
Cited by
75
References
117
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 5 · 2018: 5 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 4
FWCI
1.70
Type
book chapter
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Progress in brain research (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Pure Amsterdam UMC (publishedVersion)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Sleep and Wakefulness Research
Keywords
biological rhythms, suprachiasmatic nucleus, circadian rhythm, circaseptan rhythm, circannual rhythm, circadian entrainment, vasopressin neurons, vasoactive intestinal peptide, aging, Alzheimer's disease, sex differences, gay men, sexual behavior, reproduction, menstrual cycle
MeSH terms
Circadian Rhythm, Humans, Human Development, Male, Suprachiasmatic Nucleus

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