Older Age, Dementia, and Circadian Rhythms

Source: http://brainblogger.com/2017/09/22/older-age-dementia-and-circadian-rhythms/

It is common knowledge that sleep patterns change with age. Older people tend to sleep less, their sleep can be shallow and fragmented. Often they sleep very little at night, spending few hours in bed during the daytime. The problem becomes serious in older people suffering from dementia, especially from the caretaker’s perspective.

Researchers discovered several brain processes that influence these sleeping pattern changes. One particularly interesting finding from this research (which may also inform approaches for addressing the problem) is the finding that light exposure has serious effects on the circadian rhythm in the elderly.

Our visual sensory system performs two major tasks: the gathering and processing of visual information (the visual response), and the control of the biological clock that regulates the production of several important hormones (the non-visual response). The majority of living organisms have a non-visual response to the day-night cycle,…

Source: http://brainblogger.com/2017/09/22/older-age-dementia-and-circadian-rhythms/

It is common knowledge that sleep patterns change with age. Older people tend to sleep less, their sleep can be shallow and fragmented. Often they sleep very little at night, spending few hours in bed during the daytime. The problem becomes serious in older people suffering from dementia, especially from the caretaker’s perspective.

Researchers discovered several brain processes that influence these sleeping pattern changes. One particularly interesting finding from this research (which may also inform approaches for addressing the problem) is the finding that light exposure has serious effects on the circadian rhythm in the elderly.

Our visual sensory system performs two major tasks: the gathering and processing of visual information (the visual response), and the control of the biological clock that regulates the production of several important hormones (the non-visual response). The majority of living organisms have a non-visual response to the day-night cycle,…

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