Coogan, Andrew and Schutova, Barbora and Husung, Susanne and Furczyk, Karolina and Baune, Bernhard T. and Kropp, Peter and Hassler, Frank and Thome, Johannes (2012) The Circadian System in Alzheimer’s Disease: Disturbances, Mechanisms, and Opportunities. Biological Psychiatry, In press, corrected proof. pp. 1-7. ISSN 0006-3223

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Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative condition associated with severe cognitive and behavioral impairments. Circadian rhythms are recurring cycles that display periods of approximately 24 hours and are driven by an endogenous circadian timekeeping system centered on the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus. We review the compelling evidence that circadian rhythms are significantly disturbed in AD and that such disturbance is of significant clinical importance in terms of behavioral symptoms. We also detail findings from neuropathological studies of brain areas associated with the circadian system in postmortem studies, the use of animal models of AD in the investigation of circadian processes, and the evidence that chronotherapeutic approaches aimed at bolstering weakened circadian rhythms in AD produce beneficial outcomes. We argue that further investigation in such areas is warranted and highlight areas for future research that might prove fruitful in ultimately providing new treatment options for this most serious and intractable of conditions.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	The in press version of this article also available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.11.021
Keywords:	Alzheimer’s disease; chronotherapy; circadian; dementia; SCN; sleep;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Science and Engineering > Psychology
Item ID:	4234
Depositing User:	Dr. Andrew Coogan
Date Deposited:	05 Mar 2013 16:26
Journal or Publication Title:	Biological Psychiatry
Publisher:	Elsevier
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://www.sciencedirect.com/ http://www.elsevier.com
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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