Medical research

Our muscles measure the time of day

Biological clocks throughout the body trigger the release of the hormone melatonin during sleep, induce the secretion of digestive enzymes at lunchtime or keep us awake at the busiest moments of the day. A "master clock" ...

Medical research

It's not just what you eat, but when you eat it

Fat cells store excess energy and signal these levels to the brain. In a new study this week in Nature Medicine, Georgios Paschos PhD, a research associate in the lab of Garret FitzGerald, MD, FRS director of the Institute ...

Neuroscience

How the retina marches to the beat of its own drum

Researchers at Johns Hopkins and the University of Washington report new research that sheds light on how the retina sets its own biological rhythm using a novel light-sensitive pigment, called neuropsin, found in nerve cells ...

Health

Adjusting your body clock when the time changes

As we reset our clocks and watches for daylight saving time, it's a good opportunity to think about our body clocks as well. Our bodies naturally operate on 24-hour cycles, called circadian rhythms, that respond to external ...

Medical research

Chronobiology—internal clocks in synch

Ludwig II of Bavaria is a particularly striking example of how differently people's internal clocks can tick. Historical sources tell us that the monarch usually carried out his government business at night and slept during ...

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