Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: Margaret on 08/07/2008 12:33:49

Title: How does blindness affect the body clock?
Post by: Margaret on 08/07/2008 12:33:49

Margaret  asked the Naked Scientists:

Hi Chris

Fascinating stuff!

I'm a blind person and my body clock runs a few minutes less than 24 hours, so I want to go to sleep earlier each night.

What are the amino acids that affect the body clock? Would taking extra of them make any difference to the body clock?

Margaret

What do you think?

Title: How does blindness affect the body clock?
Post by: Jimbob12321 on 29/07/2008 21:17:00

Melatonin is a natural chemical that is released from a gland in the middle of the brain. This chemical controls our waking and sleeping times(body clock). Blindness causes the brain to forget the time of day wether its day or night. Melatonin is released at its peak at night and lowest at mid day. By the brain being unable to register this, melatonin is released at randoms time, this therefore disrupts your bodclock.