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Twelve-hour rhythms in transcript expression within the human dorsolateral prefrontal cortex are altered in
Madeline R Scott1, Wei Zong2, Kyle D Ketchesin1
1Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
Plos Biology
|January 24, 2023
Summary
Scientists discovered 12-hour rhythms in the human brain, specifically in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Schizophrenia disrupts these ultradian rhythms in key genes, impacting essential cellular processes.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Chronobiology
- Genetics
Background:
- Twelve-hour (12 h) ultradian rhythms are documented in marine life and human physiology.
- Previous research has not investigated these 12 h rhythms within the human brain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify 12 h rhythms in human brain gene expression.
- To investigate alterations in these rhythms in individuals with schizophrenia (SZ).
Main Methods:
- Analysis of gene transcripts in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
- Comparison of gene expression patterns between healthy individuals and those with SZ.
Main Results:
- Identified 12 h rhythms in human brain transcripts, peaking at sleep/wake transitions or static times.
- SZ subjects exhibited loss of 12 h rhythms in genes related to the unfolded protein response and neuronal structure.
- In SZ, genes for mitochondrial function and protein translation showed altered peak times, shifting from sleep/wake transitions to static periods.
Conclusions:
- The human brain exhibits 12 h ultradian rhythms in gene expression.
- Schizophrenia is associated with disrupted 12 h rhythms in critical neuronal and metabolic genes.
- These disruptions suggest impaired timing of essential cellular functions in schizophrenia.
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