Jun 16, 2020
Professor John Hogenesch studies
circadian rhythms and the genome.
He talks about
Dr. John Hogenesch is Professor
of Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in
Human Genetics and Immunobiology at the University of Cincinnati
Department of Pediatrics. He specializes in genome biology with a
focus on the molecular mechanisms of
circadian rhythms in mammals.
He explains to listeners the basics of
circadian rhythm as a daily rhythm of behavior and physiology
that persists in the absence of external cues. He discusses how
healthcare and specifically hospital design and schedules are often
at odds with most patients’ rhythms.
In fact, he mentions one study in which NICU patients under a
cycled light schedule went home two weeks earlier than babies under
constant dimmed light conditions. He discusses his hospital’s
design of two new areas for NICU and PICU patients under the
advisement of his lab that will integrate beds with circadian
natural-light systems. He adds ways in which medication delivery
and procedure timing could also be better paired with
circadian rhythms and efforts to do so.
Dr. Hogenesch also talks about
Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (DSPS). Richard has such a sleep
pattern and the two discuss how it manifests itself, as well as
other sleep patterns, and how they affect those who experience
them. He also addresses how cortisol’s peak has an effect as well
as how external cues interfere or work with our sleep patterns. For
example, he mentions our eating timing, light exposure, and light
temperature and type.
He discusses how the pandemic is pushing many of us to later sleep
schedules and possible hypothesizes for why. Along the way he
offers some suggestions for eliminating excessive blue and green
light and other similar measures.
For more, see his lab page
at
cincinnatichildrens.org/research/divisions/h/genetics/labs/hogenesch
and the Society for
Research in Biological Rhythms, which publishes helpful blog posts and
articles.
Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK