Journal article
Minireview: The Neuroendocrinology of the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus as a Conductor of Body Time in Mammals
Endocrinology (Philadelphia), Vol.148(12), pp.5640-5647
12/01/2007
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/110031
PMCID: PMC3423957
PMID: 17901227
Abstract
Circadian rhythms in physiology and behavior are regulated by a master clock resident in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus, and dysfunctions in the circadian system can lead to serious health effects. This paper reviews the organization of the SCN as the brain clock, how it regulates gonadal hormone secretion, and how androgens modulate aspects of circadian behavior known to be regulated by the SCN. We show that androgen receptors are restricted to a core SCN region that receives photic input as well as afferents from arousal systems in the brain. We suggest that androgens modulate circadian behavior directly via actions on the SCN and that both androgens and estrogens modulate circadian rhythms through an indirect route, by affecting overall activity and arousal levels. Thus, this system has multiple levels of regulation; the SCN regulates circadian rhythms in gonadal hormone secretion, and hormones feed back to influence SCN functions.
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Details
- Title
- Minireview: The Neuroendocrinology of the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus as a Conductor of Body Time in Mammals
- Creators
- Ilia N Karatsoreos - Departments of Psychology (I.N.K., R.S.), Columbia University, New York, New York 10027Rae Silver - Departments of Psychology (I.N.K., R.S.), Columbia University, New York, New York 10027;, Department of Psychology (R.S.), Barnard College, New York, New York 10027;, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology (R.S.), Columbia University, New York, New York 10032
- Publication Details
- Endocrinology (Philadelphia), Vol.148(12), pp.5640-5647
- Academic Unit
- Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Department of
- Identifiers
- 99900547263201842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article