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Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Circadian Entrainment of Drosophila Melanogaster
Published on: June 3, 2020
Circadian rhythm dysregulation in bipolar disorder
Ligia Westrich1, Jeffrey Sprouse
1Lundbeck Research USA Inc, Neuroscience, Paramus, NJ 07652, USA. lwes@lundbeck.com
Abstract:
When circadian rhythms - the daily oscillations of various physiological and behavioral events that are controlled by a central timekeeping mechanism - become desynchronized with the prevailing light:dark cycle, a maladaptative response can result. Animal data based primarily on genetic manipulations and clinical data from biomarker and gene expression studies support the notion that circadian abnormalities underlie certain psychiatric disorders. In particular, bipolar disorder has an interesting link to rhythm-related disease biology; other mood disturbances, such as major depressive disorder, seasonal affective disorder and the agitation and aggression accompanying severe dementia (sundowning), are also linked to changes in circadian rhythm function. Possibilities for pharmacological intervention derive most readily from the molecular oscillator, the cellular machinery that drives daily rhythms.
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