The “way of the tourist” involves the paired SUPRACHIASMATIC NUCLEI of the anterior hypothalamus, the “light center” of the brain, and the light-sensitive protein melanopsin.
The suprachiasmatic nuclei are receptive to “broad-capture light cues,” and can be metaprogrammed by heliotherapy, phototherapy, color therapy, or by traveling back and forth across Time Zones (east/west).
The suprachiasmatic nuclei are more commonly referred to singularly as the suprachiasmatic nucleus or simply as the SCN.
The SCN has been more thoroughly researched than either of the other two “timing” areas of the brain (ventromedial nucleus and lateral geniculate nucleus).
The SCN is longer and thinner in women, and rounder and thicker in men.
Light exposure causes glutamate to flow into the SCN.
Erwin Bunning (The Physiological Clock: Rhythms and Biological Chronometry, 1973) wrote …
“In mammals, periodicity is usually controlled via the eyes, so that the absence of eyes or covering the eyes results in the free-running of the rhythm with typical individual deviations from 24-hour periodicity.”
Exception to the rule: The “way of eating on time” is a back-up system (Plan B) for blind people.
Robert Y. Moore (“Organization of the mammalian circadian system,” Ciba Foundation Symposium 183, Circadian Clocks and Their Adjustment, 1993) wrote …
“… the suprachiasmatic nuclei themselves are composed of sets of independent oscillators, which are coupled into a network that operates as a pacemaker. The nuclei produce an apparently simple output expressed as a high firing rate during the day and a low firing rate at night.”
Steven M. Reppert & David R. Weaver (“Coordination of circadian timing in mammals,” Nature, Aug. 29, 2002) wrote …
“For orchestratedcircadiantiming, the collective SCN synchronizes the timing of slave oscillators, each of which is a multioscillatory entity. Synchronized slave oscillators, in turn, regulate local rhythms in physiology and behaviour. A hierarchical multioscillatory system seems to confer precise control and stability on the widely distributed physiological system it regulates.”
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'The Way of the Tourist' has 1 comment
April 1, 2012 @ 6:44 pm martin
Hey Atom,
i got your email and sent you back an email earlier,
-martin:)