New article: Cells in the retina may help treat jet lag read more at here http://www.spinonews.com/index.php/medical-news/item/3320-cells-in-the-retina-may-help-treat-jet-lag

Briton scientists discovered a new group of cells in the retina that directly affect the biological clock by sending signals to a region of the brain which regulates our daily circadian rhythms.

The study explains, how circadian rhythms are regulated through the eye could open up new therapeutic possibilities for restoring biological clocks in people who have jet lag through travelling or working night shifts.

Biological clocks are represented to light-dark changes and are important to regulate patterns of body temperature, brain activity, hormone production and other physiological processes. Disruption of this can lead to health problems such as gastrointestinal and cardiovascular disorders, depression and an increased risk of cancer.

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is a region of the brain which co-ordinates the circadian rhythm using many different signaling molecules.

 

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In previous studies, the retina signals environmental light changes to the SCN but it was unclear on how this process took place. Now, the new research shows that the retina has its own population of vasopressin-expressing cells which communicate directly to the SCN and are involved with regulating the circadian rhythm.

This gives an insight into how the biological clock is regulated by light and could open up new therapeutic opportunities to help restore altered circadian rhythms through the eye.

Using a series of physiological tests on rats, they showed that vasopressin-expressing cells in the retina are directly involved in regulating circadian rhythms.

 

Researchers said, the results show a potentially new pharmacological route to manipulate our internal biological clocks.