Health Consequences of Circadian Disruption in Humans and Animal Models - Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science - page 283

CHAPTER TEN

Health Consequences of Circadian
Disruption in Humans and Animal
Models

Jennifer A. Evans, Alec J. Davidson
Department of Neurobiology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Contents
1. Introduction 284

2. Circadian Regulation 285

3. Types of Circadian Disruption in Humans and Animal Models 286

3.1 Circadian disruption in the real world 286

3.2 Models of circadian disruption in humans and animals 287

4. Health Consequences of Circadian Disruption 289

4.1 Longevity and aging 289

4.2 Cancer and oxidative stress 291

4.3 Metabolic syndrome, obesity, and gastrointestinal problems 292

4.4 Cardiovascular disorders 294

4.5 Reproduction issues 295

4.6 Mood disorders 296

4.7 Learning and memory deficits 298

4.8 Immune dysfunction 299

5. Future Research Questions 301

References 303

Abstract
Daily rhythms in behavior and physiology are programmed by a hierarchical collection
of biological clocks located throughout the brain and body, known as the circadian sys-
tem. Mounting evidence indicates that disruption of circadian regulation is associated
with a wide variety of adverse health consequences, including increased risk for prema-
ture death, cancer, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular dysfunction, immune dys-
regulation, reproductive problems, mood disorders, and learning deficits. Here we
review the evidence for the pervasive effects of circadian disruption in humans and ani-
mal models, drawing from both environmental and genetic studies, and identify ques-
tions for future research.