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Updated: Sep 16, 2026

Parallel Measurement of Circadian Clock Gene Expression and Hormone Secretion in Human Primary Cell Cultures
Published on: November 11, 2016
Timing Matters: Circadian Effects on Energy Homeostasis and Alzheimer's Disease
Aline Loehfelm1, Alisa Boucsein1, Dominik Pretz1
1Centre for Neuroendocrinology and Brain Health Research Centre, Department of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; These authors contributed equally to this work.
Abstract:
Metabolic syndrome and Alzheimer's disease (AD) are two major health issues in modern society causing an extraordinary financial burden for the global healthcare systems. A tight link between the pathologies of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D), and more recently between T2D and AD, has been discovered. Furthermore, in recent years it has become apparent that the circadian clock has an important function in controlling metabolism. This review integrates the role of the circadian clock in the development of these metabolic derangements and vice versa. Common features such as central insulin resistance, altered glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) signalling, and central inflammation are discussed, and therapeutic interventions targeting those mechanisms are mentioned briefly.
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