Systemic and cellular reflections on ageing and the circadian oscillator: a mini-review.
From circulation to digestion to excretion, a circadian clock synchronizes most aspects of mammalian physiology with the solar day. During normal ageing, this daily coordination gradually erodes, and during pathological ageing such erosion is exacerbated. Recent experiments suggest that therapies aimed at sustaining circadian function increase quality of life in elderly patients. Hence, a better understanding of the interactions between the circadian clock and ageing - at both cellular and systemic levels - could lead to direct benefits for aged individuals.
Brown
Steven A
SA
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Switzerland. steven.brown @ pharma.uzh.ch
Pagani
Lucia
L
Cajochen
Christian
C
Eckert
Anne
A
D000220:Adaptation, Biological / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D055881:Chronobiology Discipline; D019454:Chronotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D057906:Circadian Clocks / Q000502:physiology; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans