http://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1009994

The findings provide a mechanism that links Alzheimer’s disease with circadian rhythm disruptions

Peer-Reviewed Publication

PLOS

Researchers report that the immune cells responsible for clearing away a key protein that builds up in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease operate according to daily circadian rhythms. The discovery, reported by Jennifer Hurley of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and colleagues in a new study publishing February 10^th in the journal PLOS Genetics, provides a potential explanation for the link between Alzheimer’s disease and disruptions to a person’s sleep cycle. 

Alzheimer’s disease is known to be associated with disruptions in circadian rhythms, the 24-hour cycle that controls many aspects of human behavior and physiology. For example, sleep disruptions begin years before symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease appear and are linked to more severe symptoms and a higher risk of developing the disease.

Read more at: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/942364

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Summary

Circadian rhythms, or the body clock, confer temporal structure on human behavior and physiology to align homeostatic processes with anticipated changes in the environment. Disruption of these rhythms can influence health and well-being. Chronobiological research has often failed to consider how this temporal organization may be affected by sex.

Read more at https://science.sciencemag.org/content/369/6508/1164

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University of Groningen

This video paints the life and scientific contributions of Professor Serge Daan (1940-2018). Daan was an inspiring biologist with a broad interest in science. He started as professor at the University of Groningen in 1975. His publications were cited over 17,000 times and include seminal work in chronobiology, sleep research, psychiatry, physiology, ecology and behavioural biology. The ‘Two Process Model’ of human sleep regulation he developed with Alex Borbély and Domien Beersma, still inspires many sleep researchers all over the world. He was awarded several prizes and awards, including the prestigious International Prize for Biology, which he received from the Emperor of Japan.

Production: University of Groningen, Heddema Communications

For more about the life and work of Professor Serge Daan:

https://www.rug.nl/fse/research/daan_-prof.-serge

Prof Daan:

“In physics you ask how come?, in biology you ask how, but also why.”

“Biologists have the real experimental and analytical approaches.”

The post The life and contributions of Prof. Serge Daan, behavioural biologist appeared first on EMFSA.