American scientists have found a possible explanation for human circadian rhythms, in particular, the need to sleep at night and stay awake during the day. The corresponding study was published in the journal Nature Communications, briefly reported by the University of Oregon (USA).
Experts have found at least 25 genes associated with circadian rhythms, and their activity increases in adulthood. Scientists saw the reason for this in their protective function, which is manifested in slowing down the aging process.
The discovered genes are associated, as the authors believe, with a response to, for example, cellular and molecular damage, as well as oxidative stress. Activation of genes prevents the processes leading to the development of age-related neurodegeneration.
Despite the fact that scientists carried out their experiments on fruit flies, their conclusions are valid for humans. This is because the biological processes responsible for circadian rhythms in fruit flies and humans control similar groups of genes, the study said.