Humans Entrain to Sunlight - Impact of Social Jet Lag on Disease and Implications for Critical Illness

Title:Humans Entrain to Sunlight - Impact of Social Jet Lag on Disease and Implications for Critical Illness

Volume: 21 Issue: 24

Author(s): Jan Remi

Affiliation:

Keywords: Cancer, circadian, circadian desynchrony, circadian disruption, critical illness, entrainment, social jet lag.

Abstract: The circadian clock is a biological system that allows organisms to adapt to temporal constraints of the environment. It governs all body functions. The circadian clock has an endogenous period and entrains to the external day by the means of timing cues, also called “zeitgebers”. A discrepancy between internal and external day or internal day and certain body functions results in circadian desynchrony, most prominently represented in jet lag. Circadian desynchrony may be a factor in many diseases. This review presents literature in which the impact of circadian desynchrony on disease development - with a special focus on critical illness - has been addressed. The treatment options that have so far been investigated are also presented.

Cite this article as:

Remi Jan, Humans Entrain to Sunlight - Impact of Social Jet Lag on Disease and Implications for Critical Illness, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2015; 21 (24) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612821666150706110228