bims-ciryme Biomed News
on Circadian rhythms and metabolism
Issue of 2023–11–26
two papers selected by
Gabriela Da Silva Xavier, University of Birmingham



  1. Sci Rep. 2023 Nov 20. 13(1): 20313
      Light exerts powerful and pervasive effects on physiology and behaviour. These effects can be indirect, through clock synchronization and phase adjustment of circadian rhythms, or direct, independent of the circadian process. Exposure to light at inappropriate times, as commonly experienced in today's society, leads to increased prevalence of circadian, sleep and mood disorders as well as cognitive impairments. In mice, exposure to an ultradian 3.5 h light/3.5 h dark cycle (T7) for several days has been shown to impair behaviour through direct, non-circadian, photic effects, a claim we challenge here. We first confirmed that T7 cycle induces a lengthening of the circadian period resulting in a day by day phase-delay of both activity and sleep rhythms. Spatial novelty preference test performed at different circadian time points in mice housed under T7 cycle demonstrated that cognitive deficit was restrained to the subjective night. Mice under the same condition also showed a modification of stress-induced despair-like behaviour in the forced swim test. Therefore, our data demonstrate that ultradian light cycles cause time-of-day-dependent alteration of cognition and mood through clock period lengthening delaying circadian sleep phase, and not through a direct photic influence. These results are of critical importance for the clinical applications of light therapy in the medical field and for today's society to establish lighting recommendations for shift work, schools, hospitals and homes.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-44931-9
  2. Rev Endocr Metab Disord. 2023 Nov 22.
      Daily rhythms of metabolic function are supported by molecular circadian clock systems that are strongly regulated by feeding and fasting. Intermittent fasting diets have been associated with weight loss and improved metabolism. However, the effects of time-restricted eating (TRE) on glycemic parameters are still under debate. In this review, we aim to systematically analyze the effects of TRE on glycemic parameters. We searched on PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library for controlled studies in which subjects followed TRE for at least 4 weeks. 20 studies were included in the qualitative systematic review, and 18 studies (n = 1169 subjects) were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, TRE had no significant effect on fasting glucose (Hedges's g = -0.08; 95% CI:-0.31,0.16; p = 0.52), but it did reduce HbA1c levels (Hedges's g = -0.27; 95% CI: -0.47, -0.06; p = 0.01). TRE significantly reduced fasting insulin (Hedges's g = -0.40; 95% CI: -0.73,-0.08; p = 0.01) and showed a tendency to decrease HOMA-IR (Hedges's g = -0.32; 95% CI:-0.66,0.02; p = 0.06). Interestingly, a cumulative analysis showed that the beneficial effects of TRE regarding glucose levels were less apparent as studies with later TRE windows (lTRE) were being included. Indeed, a subgroup analysis of the early TRE (eTRE) studies revealed that fasting glucose was significantly reduced by eTRE (Hedges's g = -0.38; 95% CI:-0.62, -0.14; p < 0.01). Our meta-analysis suggests that TRE can reduce HbA1c and insulin levels, and that timing of food intake is a crucial factor in the metabolic benefit of TRE, as only eTRE is capable of reducing fasting glucose levels in subjects with overweight or obesity.PROSPERO registration number CRD42023405946.
    Keywords:  Diabetes; Glucose; HbA1c; Insulin; Intermittent fasting; Time-restricted eating
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11154-023-09853-x