文章基本信息

标题：Illuminating the deleterious effects of light at night
本地全文：下载
作者：Laura K. Fonken ; Randy J. Nelson
期刊名称：F1000 Biology Reports
电子版ISSN：2051-7599
出版年度：2010
卷号：3
DOI：10.3410/M3-18
语种：English
出版社：Faculty of 1000 Ltd
摘要：Technological advances, while providing many benefits, often create circumstances that differ from the conditions in which we evolved. With the wide-spread adoption of electrical lighting during the 20^th century, humans became exposed to bright and unnatural light at night for the first time in their evolutionary history. Electrical lighting has led to the wide-scale practice of 24-hour shift-work and has meant that what were once just “daytime” activities now run throughout the night; in many ways Western society now functions on a 24-hour schedule. Recent research suggests that this gain in freedom to function throughout the night may also come with significant repercussions. Disruption of our naturally evolved light and dark cycles can result in a wide range of physiological and behavioral changes with potentially serious medical implications. In this article we will discuss several mechanisms through which light at night may exert its effects on cancer, mood, and obesity, as well as potential ways to ameliorate the impact of light at night.