Human seasonal and circadian studies in Antarctica (Halley, 75°S)

General and Comparative Endocrinology
Josephine Arendt, Benita Middleton

Abstract

Living for extended periods in Antarctica exposes base personnel to extremes of daylength (photoperiod) and temperature. At the British Antarctic Survey base of Halley, 75°S, the sun does not rise for 110 d in the winter and does not set for 100 d in summer. Photoperiod is the major time cue governing the timing of seasonal events such as reproduction in many species. The neuroendocrine signal providing photoperiodic information to body physiology is the duration of melatonin secretion which reflects the length of the night: longer in the short days of winter and shorter in summer. Light of sufficient intensity and spectral composition serves to suppress production of melatonin and to set the circadian timing and the duration of the rhythm. In humans early observations suggested that bright (>2000 lux) white light was needed to suppress melatonin completely. Shortly thereafter winter depression (Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD) was described, and its successful treatment by an artificial summer photoperiod of bright white light, sufficient to shorten melatonin production. At Halley dim artificial light intensity during winter was measured, until 2003, at a maximum of approximately 500 lux in winter. Thus a strong seasonal an...Continue Reading

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Citations

Oct 12, 2018·Archives of Endocrinology and Metabolism·Fernanda Gaspar do Amaral, José Cipolla-Neto
Feb 1, 2019·Journal of Applied Physiology·Dominika KanikowskaJanusz Witowski
Sep 15, 2018·Endocrine Reviews·José Cipolla-Neto, Fernanda Gaspar do Amaral
Sep 3, 2020·Journal of Biological Rhythms·Melissa E S RichardsonAmy-Claire Dauphin
Apr 18, 2019·Biology of Sex Differences·C StreweM Feuerecker
Nov 10, 2020·Stress and Health : Journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress·Camila TortelloSantiago Andrés Plano
Nov 30, 2018·Clocks & Sleep·Arne LowdenClaudia R Moreno
Feb 21, 2021·Journal of Pineal Research·Giulia ZerbiniMartha Merrow

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