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Review
. 2012 Dec;14(4):448-53.
doi: 10.31887/DCNS.2012.14.4/mmuench.

Light and chronobiology: implications for health and disease

Mirjam Münch  1 , Vivien Bromundt
Affiliations
Review

Light and chronobiology: implications for health and disease

Mirjam Münch et al. Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2012 Dec.

Abstract
in English, Spanish, French

Environmental light synchronizes the primary mammalian biological clock in the suprachiasmatic nuclei, as well as many peripheral clocks in tissues and cells, to the solar 24-hour day. Light is the strongest synchronizing agent (zeitgeber) for the circadian system, and therefore keeps most biological and psychological rhythms internally synchronized, which is important for optimum function. Circadian sleep-wake disruptions and chronic circadian misalignment, as often observed in psychiatric and neurodegenerative illness, can be treated with light therapy. The beneficial effect on circadian synchronization, sleep quality, mood, and cognitive performance depends on timing, intensity, and spectral composition of light exposure. Tailoring and optimizing indoor lighting conditions may be an approach to improve wellbeing, alertness, and cognitive performance and, in the long term, producing health benefits.

La luz ambiental sincroniza el reloj biológico primario de los mamíferos en el núcleo supraquiasmático, así como muchos relojes periféricos en tejídos y células, para el día solar de 24 horas. La luz es el agente sincronizador más potente (zeitgeber=dador de tiempo) para el sistema circadíano, y por consiguiente mantiene la mayoría de los ritmos biológicos y psicológicos que se sincronizan internamente, lo que es importante para una óptima función. Las disrupciones circadianas sueño-vigilia y los desajustes circadianos crónicos que se observan con frecuencía en enfermedades psiquiátricas y neurodegenerativas pueden ser tratados con fototerapía. Los efectos favorables sobre la sincronización circadíana, la calidad del sueño, el ánimo y el rendimiento cognitivo dependen de la duración, intensidad y composición espectral de la exposición a la luz. La adaptación y optímízacíón de las condíciones de luz interior pueden constituir una manera de mejorar el bienestar, el alerta y el rendimiento cognitivo, y a largo plazo producir beneficios para la salud.

La lumière environnementale synchronise l'horloge biologique primaire des mammifères dans le noyau suprachiasmatique, ainsi que de nombreuses horloges périphériques dans les tissus et les cellules, au jour solaire de 24 h. La lumière est l'agent synchronisant le plus fort (zeitgeber) du système circadien, conservant donc la plupart des rythmes biologiques et psychologiques synchronisés en interne, ce qui est important pour un fonctionnement optimal. Les troubles circadiens veille-sommeil et le décalage circadien chronique, souvent observés dans les maladies psychiatriques et neurodégénératives, peuvent être traités par luminothérapie. L'effet bénéfique sur la synchronisation circadienne, la qualité du sommeil, l'humeur et la performance cognitive dépend de la chronologie, de l'intensité et de la composition spectrale de l'exposition à la lumière. Personnaliser et optimiser les conditions de lumière en intérieur pourraient permettre d'améliorer le bien-être, la vigilance et la performance cognitive et, à long terme, être bénéfique pour la santé.

Keywords: affective disorder; bright light; circadian rhythm; circadian rhythm sleep disorder; daylight; entrainment; indoor lighting; intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell (ipRGC); light therapy; zeitgeber.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. The human phase response curve, where phase advances are indicated with positive values, and delays with negative values. The data are plotted against the timing of the center of the light exposure, relative to the melatonin midpoint on the pre-stimulus circadian phase assessments (defined to be 22 h). Data points from circadian phases 6 to 18 are double plotted. The filled circles represent data from melatonin samples. The solid cuive is a dual harmonic function fitted through all of the data points. The horizontal dashed line represents the anticipated 0.54-h average delay drift of the pacemaker between the pre- and post-stimulus phase assessments. The vertical line represents the core body temperature minimum (= circadian phase 0), and the blue bar represents biological night. Adapted from ref 4: Khalsa SB, Jewett ME, Cajochen C, Czeisler CA. A phase response curve to single bright light pulses in human subjects. J Physiol. 2003;549(Pt 3):945-952, Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2003
Figure 2.
Figure 2.. Schematic summary of the general impact of light on both visual and non-image-forming biological functions.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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