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Primate research suggests multiple body clocks
Tuesday, May 30, 2006 | No comments posted.
PORTLAND (AP) - There may be more than one body clock that controls sleep, according to a new study.
Scientists know that a part of the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus regulates cycles of sleep and wakefulness.
But Oregon Health & Science University researchers say a secondary clock-like mechanism associated with the adrenal gland also is involved.
The adrenal gland is involved in several important body functions, such as body temperature regulation, metabolism, mood, stress response and reproduction.
The research at the Oregon National Primate Research Center also suggests that additional clocks exist in the body.
“We're all familiar with the idea that the body has a master clock that controls sleep-wake cycles,” said Henryk Urbanski, a senior scientist at the primate center and one of the study's authors.
“In fact, most of us have witnessed the impacts of this clock in the form of jet lag where it takes the body a number of days to adjust to a new time schedule following a long flight,” Urbanski said.
Researchers studied adrenal gland function in rhesus macaque monkeys, which is very similar to humans. The study identified 322 genes in the adrenal gland with functions that varied rhythmically over a 24-hour period, meaning that each gene's function peaked and diminished at the same time each day.
A subgroup of the 322 genes also exist in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the home of the body's master body clock, suggesting the adrenal gland has its own separate timing mechanism.
Researchers say additional studies could lead to ways to design drug therapy that can be delivered at certain times to synchronize with normal body functions controlled by body clocks.
One example is testosterone replacement for men suffering from sexual dysfunction and depression, Urbanski said.
“Patients receiving testosterone late in the day often complain of sleep loss,” he said.
Learning more about body clock functions could provide a specific window of time during the day when testosterone therapy is effective but less disruptive, Urbanski said.
The study was published in the journal Molecular Endocrinology.
Scientists know that a part of the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus regulates cycles of sleep and wakefulness.
But Oregon Health & Science University researchers say a secondary clock-like mechanism associated with the adrenal gland also is involved.
The adrenal gland is involved in several important body functions, such as body temperature regulation, metabolism, mood, stress response and reproduction.
The research at the Oregon National Primate Research Center also suggests that additional clocks exist in the body.
“We're all familiar with the idea that the body has a master clock that controls sleep-wake cycles,” said Henryk Urbanski, a senior scientist at the primate center and one of the study's authors.
“In fact, most of us have witnessed the impacts of this clock in the form of jet lag where it takes the body a number of days to adjust to a new time schedule following a long flight,” Urbanski said.
Researchers studied adrenal gland function in rhesus macaque monkeys, which is very similar to humans. The study identified 322 genes in the adrenal gland with functions that varied rhythmically over a 24-hour period, meaning that each gene's function peaked and diminished at the same time each day.
A subgroup of the 322 genes also exist in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the home of the body's master body clock, suggesting the adrenal gland has its own separate timing mechanism.
Researchers say additional studies could lead to ways to design drug therapy that can be delivered at certain times to synchronize with normal body functions controlled by body clocks.
One example is testosterone replacement for men suffering from sexual dysfunction and depression, Urbanski said.
“Patients receiving testosterone late in the day often complain of sleep loss,” he said.
Learning more about body clock functions could provide a specific window of time during the day when testosterone therapy is effective but less disruptive, Urbanski said.
The study was published in the journal Molecular Endocrinology.
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