Relevance among sleep-wake timings, regularity in estrous cycles and internal desynchronizations.

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K07592
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Applied anthropology
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: TAKASU Nana 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(歯学系), 特任研究員 (30467394)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: サーカディアンリズム / 体内時計 / 視交叉上核 / 加齢 / 睡眠・覚醒リズム / 不妊

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Female reproductive function and circadian rhythm influence each other and regulate each function. For example, in adult women, the ovarian steroid hormones (estrogen and progesterone), which affect the circadian rhythm, cause a rapid change with the menstrual cycle, which may cause sleep disorders. From our experiments using experimental rodents, it has been known that the circadian clock system is out of balance during the period of large pre-ovulation and pre-menstrual hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle. On the other hand, an irregular light environment (lifestyle) has been found to disturb female reproductive function. Taken altogether, we conclude that it is important to understand the sex difference of the biological clock and to lead a life considering the aging change of the biological clock in order to maintain healthy reproductive function.

Free Research Field

生理人類学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

近年、晩婚化に伴い、初産年齢も高齢化傾向にあるが、妊娠年齢の上昇に伴い、受精卵の着床の低下や流産のリスクが高まるために、不妊で悩む人が増加している。本研究で「社会的時差ボケ」が不妊のリスクを高めることが明らかになれば、加齢とともに漸増する不妊の予防のために「規則正しい生活」を推奨することが可能になる。