Cited by 547Circadian rhythm and melatoninSleep and Work-Related FatigueSleep and Wakefulness Research

Disruption of circadian clocks has ramifications for metabolism, brain, and behavior

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Karatsoreos, Ilia N., Bhagat, Sarah, Bloss, Erik B., Morrison, John H., McEwen, Bruce S.·2011·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Abstract

Circadian (daily) rhythms are present in almost all plants and animals. In mammals, a brain clock located in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus maintains synchrony between environmental light/dark cycles and physiology and behavior. Over the past 100 y, especially with the advent of electric lighting, modern society has resulted in a round-the-clock lifestyle, in which natural connections between rest/activity cycles and environmental light/dark cycles have been degraded or even broken. Instances in which rapid changes to sleep patterns are necessary, such as transmeridian air travel, demonstrate negative effects of acute circadian disruption on physiology and behavior. However, the ramifications of chronic disruption of the circadian clock for mental and physical health are not yet fully understood. By housing mice in 20-h light/dark cycles, incongruous with their endogenous ∼24-h circadian period, we were able to model the effects of chronic circadian disruption noninvasively. Housing in these conditions results in accelerated weight gain and obesity, as well as changes in metabolic hormones. In the brain, circadian-disrupted mice exhibit a loss of dendritic length and decreased complexity of neurons in the prelimbic prefrontal cortex, a brain region important in executive function and emotional control. Disrupted animals show decreases in cognitive flexibility and changes in emotionality consistent with the changes seen in neural architecture. How our findings translate to humans living and working in chronic circadian disruption is unknown, but we believe that this model can provide a foundation to understand how environmental disruption of circadian rhythms impacts the brain, behavior, and physiology.

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Crossref · 10.1073/pnas.1018375108

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  • Mice housed in 20-hour light-dark cycles display reduced dendritic length and complexity in prelimbic prefrontal cortex neurons, associated with anxiety.

    “Mice housed in 20-h light–dark cycles, a paradigm that disrupts circadian rhythms, display reduced dendritic length and complexity in neurons of the prelimbic prefrontal cortex, associated with anxiety112.”

    From Circadian rhythm disruption and mental health (2020) · cites this paper as [112]

  • In adult mammals, chronic circadian disruption has diverse negative impacts on physical and mental health, including a shortened lifespan.

    “In adult mammals, chronic circadian disruption has diverse negative impacts on physical and mental health6, 7, including a shortened lifespan8.”
  • After only 5 weeks of environmental circadian desynchronization, eCD mice begin showing metabolic signs of allostatic load, including increased weight, adiposity, and leptin levels.

    “After only 5 weeks of this environmental disruption, eCD mice begin showing metabolic signs of allostatic load, including increased weight, adiposity, and leptin levels.”

    From Sleep Deprivation and Circadian Disruption (2015) · cites this paper as [34]

  • eCD mice show changes in prefrontal cortex cellular morphology mirroring those observed in chronic stress, including shrunken and less complex apical dendritic trees of cells in layer II/III of the medial prefrontal cortex.

    “Strikingly, the observed metabolic changes are accompanied by changes in prefrontal cortex cellular morphology, mirroring those observed in chronic stress. eCD animals show shrunken and less complex apical dendritic trees of cells in layer II/III of the medial prefrontal cortex,34 with no apparent effects on basal dendrites.”

    From Sleep Deprivation and Circadian Disruption (2015) · cites this paper as [34]

  • eCD mice show an imbalance between insulin and plasma glucose, suggesting development of a prediabetic state.

    “A significant effect is also observed in glucose metabolism, because eCD mice also show an imbalance between insulin and plasma glucose, suggesting development of a prediabetic state.”

    From Sleep Deprivation and Circadian Disruption (2015) · cites this paper as [34]

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Authors
Karatsoreos, I. N., Bhagat, S., Bloss, E. B., Morrison, J. H., & McEwen, B. S.
Affiliations
  • Rockefeller University (US)
  • Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (US)
Venue
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Published
2011-01-10
Volume
108
Issue
4
Pages
1657-1662
ISSN
  • 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
  • 1091-6490
OpenAlex
W2164617868
Cited by
547
References
41
Citations by year
2026: 16 · 2025: 30 · 2024: 31 · 2023: 29 · 2022: 45 · 2021: 41 · 2020: 50 · 2019: 36 · 2018: 36 · 2017: 30 · 2016: 38 · 2015: 44 · 2014: 42 · 2013: 32 · 2012: 27
FWCI
17.77
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research
  • National Institute on Aging (F31AG034794)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (P50MH058911, R01MH041256, 5R01MH41256, 5P5 MH58911)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and Work-Related Fatigue
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Sleep and Wakefulness Research
Keywords
circadian rhythm, circadian rhythm disruption, suprachiasmatic nucleus, obesity, metabolic hormones, dendritic length, prelimbic cortex, cognitive flexibility, emotionality, sleep disruption, artificial lighting, executive function
MeSH terms
Animals, Behavior, Animal, Biological Clocks, Blood Glucose, Body Temperature, Brain, Circadian Rhythm, Energy Metabolism, Humans, Insulin, Male, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Motor Activity, Neurons, Weight Gain, Prefrontal Cortex, Photoperiod, Maze Learning, Leptin, Mice, Circadian Clocks

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