Most organisms run on a biological cycle known as a circadian rhythm. As proclaimed by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, circadian rhythms are changes in our behavior, either physical or mental, that follow a specific 24-hour timed molecular cycle. Some known circadian rhythms in humans include the sleep-wake rhythm and the feeding rhythm. An interesting subject to many researchers around the world is how circadian rhythms function on a molecular level.
A research article published in 2021 by Fulgham et al. titled Central and Peripheral Clock Control of Circadian Feeding Rhythms concentrates on a study featuring the feeding circadian rhythm in Drosophila melanogaster. The question held by the researchers was what cells and circuits within the brain are capable of mediating this behavior for this species. The scientists were able to uncover, using genetic testing measures including GAL4-driven disruption, that the neurons at task were the ventrolateral clock neurons in the central brain. Interestingly enough, Fulgham et al. were able to uncover that this behavior ran strictly on the central brain clock and that the presence of metabolic tissue or fat body had no influence on the timing of the organism consuming a meal. The use of a Fly Liquid-Food Interaction Counter was used to collect this data and an FLIC collection software was used to analyze the data on a computer.
Further research in this area that focuses on the feeding circadian rhythm may discuss the effects that may take place if this cycle is disrupted. There has been research done on the effects that the disruption of the circadian rhythm may have on Alzheimer’s disease. The research article published in 2021 titled Circadian Rhythm Disruption and Alzheimer’s Disease: The Dynamics of a Vicious Cycle by researchers Sharma et al. focuses on how dysregulation of the circadian rhythm can lead to the progression of this neurodegenerative disease. The researchers state how AD is known for causing loss of memory and impacts many biological functions including the patient’s appetite; therefore, implying a disruption to the circadian rhythm (CRd). It is mentioned that after analyzing the brains of AD patients after death there are “morphological changes in the core machinery of the central circadian clock”(Sharma et al., 2021). The scientists wanted to confirm what elements may have caused this dysregulation and led to this advancement of AD, so that they would have a narrowed down list of elements to target pharmaceutically. They were able to confirm that “Misalignment of feeding cycles and sleep-wake cycles leads to uncoupling of TTFL in the SCN from that of hippocampus of mice leading to spatial memory deficits” (Sharma et al., 2021). The researchers were able to conclude that the dysregulation of these rhythms allow for the progression of AD and their findings have allowed for them to list certain clock proteins to begin investigation of possible treatments.
The research based on circadian rhythms, including the feeding circadian rhythm, allow for a more focused approach permitting future studies to help discover treatments for its disruption, such as how was done in the study of Alzheimer’s.
References
Fulgham, Carson V., et al. “Central and Peripheral Clock Control of Circadian Feeding Rhythms.” Journal of Biological Rhythms, vol. 36, no. 6, 2021, pp. 548–566., https://doi.org/10.1177/07487304211045835.
Sharma, Ashish, et al. “Circadian Rhythm Disruption and Alzheimer's Disease: The Dynamics of a Vicious Cycle.” Current Neuropharmacology, Bentham Science Publishers, 2021, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8033974/.
“Circadian Rhythms.” National Institute of General Medical Sciences, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 9 Sept. 2021, https://www.nigms.nih.gov/education/fact-sheets/Pages/circadian-rhythms.aspx.
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