Summary
This review examines how the circadian system degrades with aging, from cellular clock mechanisms to whole-organism rhythm disruption, with implications for managing light exposure in elderly populations. Understanding age-related circadian decline can inform lighting strategies in elder care environments to support better entrainment, sleep quality, and overall wellbeing.
Key Findings
- Aging is associated with reduced amplitude of circadian rhythms, advanced sleep phase, and decreased sensitivity to light as a zeitgeber
- Circadian deterioration with age affects multiple physiological processes including cell cycle regulation, metabolism, and immune function
- The review highlights progressive dysfunction in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) as a key driver of age-related circadian disruption
Categories
Sleep & Circadian Health: Reviews how circadian system physiology changes with aging, including alterations in rhythm amplitude, timing, and entrainment capacity.
Dementia & Elder Care: Discusses age-related deterioration of circadian function relevant to elderly care and neurodegenerative disease contexts.
Author(s)
E Terzibasi-Tozzini, A Martinez-Nicolas
Publication Year
2017
Number of Citations
28
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