Search results for "circadian rhythm"
showing 10 items of 324 documents
"Synaptic" ribbons and spherules of the guinea pig pineal gland: inverse day/night differences in number.
1983
The present study deals with the functionally enigmatic "synaptic" ribbons and spherules of guinea pig pinealocytes. Whereas the ribbons have been shown to exhibit a 24-hr rhythmicity with low numbers during the day and high numbers at night, very little of a definitive nature is known about the spherules. Sixteen male guinea pigs of the Hartley strain were perfusion fixed, 8 between 0900-1100 hr, and 8 between 2100-2300 hr. The ribbons and spherules were counted in the pineal parenchyma of the proximal, intermediate, and distal regions. In confirmation of earlier studies, it was found that "synaptic" ribbons are equally abundant in the proximal, intermediate, and distal regions of the glan…
Electrical responses of pineal cells to melatonin and putative transmitters
1981
The effects of microelectrophoretically applied melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxy-tryptamine), noradrenaline (NOR) or acetylcholine (ACH) on the electrical activity of pineal cells during both the day- and night-time were studied in urethane anesthetised guinea-pigs. A total of 288 cells were tested with melatonin, and in addition with either NOR (120 cells) or ACH (138 cells). Of the 206 cells responding to melatonin application, 139 were excited and 67 inhibited. A total of 85 cells responded to the application of NOR, 45 being excited and 40 inhibited. Responses to ACH application were observed in 75 pineal cells, 49 units being inhibited and 26 excited. It was possible to observe excitation…
Effect of time-of-day-specific strength training on serum hormone concentrations and isometric strength in men.
2007
A time-of-day influence on the neuromuscular response to strength training has been previously reported. However, no scientific study has examined the influence of the time of day when strength training is performed on hormonal adaptations. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to examine the effects of time-of-day-specific strength training on resting serum concentrations and diurnal patterns of testosterone (T) and cortisol (CORT) as well as maximum isometric strength of knee extensors. Thirty eight diurnally active healthy, previously untrained men (age 20-45 yrs) underwent a ten-week preparatory strength training period when sessions were conducted between 17:00-19:00 h. Ther…
Down-regulation of the nocturnally elevated guanylyl cyclase activity in the rat pineal gland
1995
Abstract Previous studies have shown that in the rat pineal, the cytosolic and the particulate forms of guanylyl cyclase (GC) activity undergo a biphasic 24-h rhythm with two prominent peaks, one in the middle of the light phase and the other in the middle of the dark phase. In this study we investigated whether the well established photo-neural adrenergic regulatory processes identified for pineal melatonin synthesis also apply to the nocturnal elevation of GC activity. A 10-min light pulse given in the middle of the dark phase decreases the cytosolic and the particulate forms of GC. Administration of the β-receptor blocker propranolol did not depress the nocturnally elevated GC activity. …
Electrophysiological properties of rat pinealocytes: Evidence for circadian and ultradian rhythms
1984
Extracellular single-unit recordings were made during day- and night-time in the pineal gland of urethane-anesthetized adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. All cells exhibiting spontaneous electrical activity had firing frequencies from less than 1 Hz to about 100 Hz, and their discharge patterns were characterized as regular, irregular or bursting. While most of the spontaneously active cells (n = 163) showed a uniform activity level throughout the recording period (30-120 min), a group of 9 cells exhibited oscillatory rhythms with periods of 4-8 min. In addition, long-term recordings across day- and night-time from five cells revealed increasing activity during night-time in three cells, while…
Effects of an Earth-strength magnetic field on electrical activity of pineal cells
1980
Although magnetic fields can influence biological systems, including those of man and other vertebrates1–5, no central nervous structure has been identified that might be involved in their detection. From a theoretical point of view, the pineal organ might be such a structure for the following reasons: (1) It is involved in the regulation of circadian rhythms6 and is thus essential for migratory restlessness (‘Zugunruhe’)7. Orientation at that time can be altered by an artificial magnetic field (MF) with a direction differing by 90° from that of the Earth. Circadian rhythms can be inhibited from phase shifting by compensation of the Earth's MF and can be influenced by an artificial MF8. (2)…
Effects of excitatory amino acids and neuropeptide Y on the discharge activity of suprachiasmatic neurons in rat brain slices
1997
Effects of L-glutamate, AMPA, NMDA and NPY on the discharge activity of neurons located in the ventral subdivision of the suprachiasmatic nucleus were examined in submerged coronal slices of the rat hypothalamus. All substances were bath applied. Application of L-glutamate (14 neurons examined) induced an excitatory response in 8 suprachiasmatic neurons (+248.9 +/- 122.24%, mean +/- S.E.M.; P0.001). A biphasic response, i.e. an initial transient excitation (+54.3 +/- 8.21%; P0.001) succeeded by an inhibition (-66.2 +/- 9.31%; P0.001), was observed in 6 neurons. Application of AMPA (36 neurons examined) resulted in an excitation of 31 neurons (+209.2 +/- 58.58%; P0.0001). Application of NMDA…
Plasma cortisol level in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
2015
Background. Amyotrophic Lateral sclerosis (ALS) is associated with a significant distress, being linked to changes in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity. A loss of cortisol circadian rhythmicity in ALS patients was suggested, while more recently an increased plasma cortisol level in the disease has been reported. Objective. To assay the circadian plasma cortisol level in ALS and to study its relationship with the clinical phenotype and the rate of disease progression. Patients and methods. 135 ALS patients (Bulbar, 33; Spinal, 102; M/F = 1.73) and 110 controls (not affected by neurological or psychiatric disorders, free of drugs; M/F = 1.75) were recruited. Disease progression was…
Characterization of circadian COPD symptoms by phenotype: Methodology of the STORICO observational study
2017
Abstract Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The symptoms of COPD are troublesome, variable, can occur during all parts of the 24-h day and have a substantial impact on patients' health status, quality of life and healthcare resource utilization. Reducing symptoms, improving health status and increasing physical activity are major goals in the management of stable COPD. In order to provide effective, patient-oriented care, patients should be evaluated on the basis of lung function, frequency of symptoms and patient-perceived impact of symptoms on their lives and treatment decisions made on a case-by-case basis. The …
Evidence for the presence of two 24-h rhythms 180 degrees out of phase in the pineal gland of male Pirbright-White guinea pigs as monitored by counti…
1987
Previous studies have shown that the "synaptic" bodies of mammalian pinealocytes are a heterogeneous group of organelles. Whereas "synaptic" ribbons (SR) exhibit a day/night rhythm with small numbers during daytime and high numbers at night, the so-called "synaptic" spherules (SS) show species-specific differences in their rhythmicity. In the present study the numbers of SR and SS were monitored in male guinea pigs over a full 24-h period at 4-hourly intervals (LD 12:12, lights on at 7:00). The results obtained show that the rhythms of SR numbers and SS numbers are out of phase by 180 degrees. SR numbers are small during daytime and high at night, whereas SS numbers are high during daytime …