Circadian and sleep disturbances in the elderly.
The incidence of disturbed sleep is strongly increased in healthy and demented elderly. Age-related alterations in the circadian timing system appear to contribute strongly to these problems. With increasing age, a lack of input to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the biological clock of the brain, may accelerate de-activation of neurons involved in the generation of 24-h rhythm or output of this rhythm. This process appears to be reversible, since supplementation of stimuli that impinge on the SCN can re-activate these neurons and ameliorate disturbances in the sleep-wake rhythm.
Van Someren EJ
Netherlands Institute for Brain Research, Meibergdreef 33, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. e.van.someren@nih.knaw.nl
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008550:Melatonin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017440:Photoperiod; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D013493:Suprachiasmatic Nucleus / Q000503:physiopathology
D008550:Melatonin