title: Clinical implications of the melanopsin-based non-image-forming visual system.
abstract: Since the discovery of the non-image-forming visual system, tremendous research efforts have been dedicated to understanding its mechanisms and functional roles. Original functions associated with the melanopsin system include the photoentrainment of circadian sleep-wake cycles and the pupillary light reflex. Recent findings, however, suggest a much broader involvement of this system in an array of physiologic responses to light. This newfound insight into the underlying function of the non-image-forming system has revealed the many connections to human pathology and attendant disease states, including seasonal affective disorder, migraine, glaucoma, inherited mitochondrial optic neuropathy, and sleep dysregulation of aging. In this review, the authors discuss in detail the clinical implications of the melanopsin system.
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurological Surgery (A.K., I.J.P.) and Neurology and Neuroscience (J.J.P.), University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville; Surgical Neurology Branch (A.K., K.A.Z.), National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD; and the Departments of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics (A.K.) and Biology (I.P.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville. alex@virginia.edu.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ksendzovsky
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurological Surgery (A.K., I.J.P.) and Neurology and Neuroscience (J.J.P.), University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville; Surgical Neurology Branch (A.K., K.A.Z.), National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD; and the Departments of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics (A.K.) and Biology (I.P.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville.
authors.forename: I Jonathan
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Pomeraniec
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurological Surgery (A.K., I.J.P.) and Neurology and Neuroscience (J.J.P.), University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville; Surgical Neurology Branch (A.K., K.A.Z.), National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD; and the Departments of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics (A.K.) and Biology (I.P.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville.
authors.forename: Kareem A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Zaghloul
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurological Surgery (A.K., I.J.P.) and Neurology and Neuroscience (J.J.P.), University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville; Surgical Neurology Branch (A.K., K.A.Z.), National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD; and the Departments of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics (A.K.) and Biology (I.P.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville.
authors.forename: J Javier
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Provencio
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurological Surgery (A.K., I.J.P.) and Neurology and Neuroscience (J.J.P.), University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville; Surgical Neurology Branch (A.K., K.A.Z.), National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD; and the Departments of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics (A.K.) and Biology (I.P.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville.
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Provencio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D020795:Photophobia / Q000378:metabolism; D017299:Rod Opsins / Q000378:metabolism*; D016574:Seasonal Affective Disorder; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000378:metabolism*; D000099210:Melanopsin
chemical_list: D017299:Rod Opsins; D000099210:Melanopsin