Year: 2026
Type: review
Abstract: Circadian rhythms, serving as a crucial temporal bridge linking neural activity and pathological biology, are regulated by central pacemaker neurons to maintain cellular homeostasis and coordinate diverse biological processes. Circadian rhythm disruption is closely associated with various diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders, metabolic disorders, and cancer. Circadian rhythms are controlled by core clock genes, such as BMAL1 and CLOCK, modulating numerous physiological processes, encompassing metabolism, immune responses, neural activity, and hormone regulation. Circadian rhythms disruptions arising from shift work, jet lag, or inconsistent sleep schedules are implicated in both the onset and progression of numerous diseases, notably Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The article highlights how circadian dysregulation alters cellular processes to potentially accelerate disease progression. Circadian disruption results in impaired immune function, further promoting disease development and resistance to treatment. Potential therapeutic applications based on circadian biology, such as chronotherapy and personalized medicine, are also discussed. Recent technological advances, embodied in wearable devices and omics approaches, are increasingly providing deeper insights into circadian biology. Further unveiling the role of circadian in health and disease opens new avenues for tailoring treatment timing to patients' biological rhythms, thereby enhancing therapeutic outcomes across various diseases. By bridging fundamental circadian mechanisms with clinical pathology, this review provides a roadmap for future chronotherapeutic interventions in precision medicine.
Source: Molecular Biomedicine
Institutions: Northeastern University, China Agricultural University, Nanchang University, First Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi Medical College, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Fudan University, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, First Hospital of Jilin University, Jiangxi Agricultural University
Language: English
Subfield: Endocrine and Autonomic Systems
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,590
OpenAlex ID: W7223304976