ORCID Profile
0000-0001-6336-5531
Current Organisations
Harvard Medical School
,
Broad Institute
,
Brigham and Women's Hospital
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Publisher: The Endocrine Society
Date: 11-2015
DOI: 10.1210/JC.2015-2775
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 15-12-2022
Abstract: Light is the primary stimulus for synchronizing the circadian clock in humans. There are very large interin idual differences in the sensitivity of the circadian clock to light. Little is currently known about the genetic basis for these interin idual differences. We performed a genome-wide gene-by-environment interaction study (GWIS) in 280 897 in iduals from the UK Biobank cohort to identify genetic variants that moderate the effect of daytime light exposure on chronotype (in idual time of day preference), acting as “light sensitivity” variants for the impact of daylight on the circadian system. We identified a genome-wide significant SNP mapped to the ARL14EP gene (rs3847634 p & 5 × 10−8), where additional minor alleles were found to enhance the morningness effect of daytime light exposure (βGxE = −.03, SE = 0.005) and were associated with increased gene ARL14EP expression in brain and retinal tissues. Gene-property analysis showed light sensitivity loci were enriched for genes in the G protein-coupled glutamate receptor signaling pathway and genes expressed in Per2+ hypothalamic neurons. Linkage disequilibrium score regression identified Bonferroni significant genetic correlations of greater light sensitivity GWIS with later chronotype and shorter sleep duration. Greater light sensitivity was nominally genetically correlated with insomnia symptoms and risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study is the first to assess light as an important exposure in the genomics of chronotype and is a critical first step in uncovering the genetic architecture of human circadian light sensitivity and its links to sleep and mental health.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 21-09-2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 22-05-2018
DOI: 10.1093/SLEEP/ZSY098
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 17-10-2022
DOI: 10.1101/2022.10.16.22280934
Abstract: Circadian rhythm disturbance is a common feature of many psychiatric disorders. Light is the primary input to the circadian clock, with daytime light strengthening rhythms and night light disrupting them. Therefore, habitual light exposure may represent an environmental risk factor for susceptibility to psychiatric disorders. We performed the largest to-date cross-sectional analysis of light, sleep, physical activity, and mental health ( n = 86,772 adults aged 62.4 ± 7.4 years 57% women). We examined the independent association of day and night light exposure with covariate-adjusted risk for psychiatric disorders and self-harm. Greater night light exposure was associated with increased risk for major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, PTSD, psychosis, bipolar disorder, and self-harm behavior. Independent of night light, greater day light exposure was associated with reduced risk for major depressive disorder, PTSD, psychosis, and self-harm behavior. These findings were robust to adjustment for sociodemographics, photoperiod, physical activity, and sleep quality. Avoiding light at night and seeking light during the day may be a simple and effective, non-pharmacological means of broadly improving mental health.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 27-09-2018
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 30-06-2022
DOI: 10.1101/2022.06.29.22277078
Abstract: Light is the primary stimulus for synchronizing the circadian clock in humans. There are very large interin idual differences in the sensitivity of the circadian clock to light. Little is currently known about the genetic basis for these interin idual differences. We performed a genome-wide gene-by-environment interaction study (GWIS) in 280,897 in iduals from the UK Biobank cohort to identify genetic variants that moderate the effect of daytime light exposure on chronotype (in idual time of day preference), acting as ‘light sensitivity’ variants for the impact of daylight on the circadian system. We identified a genome-wide significant SNP mapped to the ARL14EP gene (rs3847634 p 5×10 −8 ), where additional minor alleles were found to enhance the morningness effect of daytime light exposure ( β GxE = -.03, SE = 0.005) and were associated with increased gene ARL14EP expression in brain and retinal tissues. Gene-property analysis showed light sensitivity loci were enriched for genes in the G protein-coupled glutamate receptor signaling pathway and in Per2 + hypothalamic neurons. Linkage disequilibrium score regression identified significant genetic correlations of the light sensitivity GWIS with chronotype and sleep duration, such that greater light sensitivity was associated with later chronotype, greater insomnia symptoms and shorter sleep duration. Greater light sensitivity was also genetically correlated with greater risk for PTSD. This study is the first to assess light as an important exposure in the genomics of chronotype and is a critical first step in uncovering the genetic architecture of human circadian light sensitivity and its links to sleep and mental health.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-10-2023
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.PSYCHRES.2019.05.025
Abstract: Mood states in bipolar disorder appear to be closely linked to changes in sleep and circadian function. It has been suggested that hypersensitivity of the circadian system to light may be a trait vulnerability for bipolar disorder. Healthy persons with emotional-behavioural traits associated with bipolar disorder also appear to exhibit problems with circadian rhythms, which may be associated with in idual differences in light sensitivity. This study investigated the melanopsin-driven post-illumination pupil response (PIPR) in relation to emotional-behavioural traits associated with bipolar disorder (measured with the General Behavior Inventory) in a non-clinical group (n = 61). An increased PIPR was associated with increased bipolar disorder-related traits. Specifically, the hypomania scale of the General Behavior Inventory was associated with an increased post-blue PIPR. Further, both the full hypomania and shortened '7 Up' scales were significantly predicted by PIPR, after age, sex and depressive traits were controlled. These findings suggest that increased sensitivity to light may be a risk factor for mood problems in the general population, and support the idea that hypersensitivity to light is a trait vulnerability for, rather than symptom of, bipolar disorder.
Publisher: Research Square Platform LLC
Date: 17-08-2020
DOI: 10.21203/RS.3.RS-50949/V1
Abstract: Attentional lapses are ubiquitous and can negatively impact performance. They correlate with mind wandering, or thoughts that are unrelated to ongoing tasks and environmental demands. In other cases, the stream of consciousness itself comes to a halt and the mind goes blank. What happens in the brain that leads to these mental states? To understand the neural mechanisms underlying attentional lapses, we cross-analyzed the behavior, subjective experience and neural activity of healthy participants performing a task. Random interruptions prompted participants to indicate whether they were task-focused, mind-wandering or mind-blanking. High-density electroencephalography revealed the occurrence of spatially and temporally localized sleep-like patterns of neural activity. This “local sleep” accompanied behavioral markers of lapses and preceded reports of mind wandering and mind blanking. Furthermore, the location of local sleep distinguished sluggish versus impulsive behaviors, mind wandering versus mind blanking. Despite contrasting cognitive profiles, attentional lapses could share a common physiological origin: the appearance of local islets of sleep within the awake brain.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2021
Publisher: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Date: 28-05-2019
Abstract: Electric lighting has fundamentally altered how the human circadian clock synchronizes to the day/night cycle. Exposure to light after dusk is pervasive in the modern world. We examined group-level sensitivity of the circadian system to evening light and the degree to which sensitivity varies between in iduals. We found that, on average, humans are highly sensitive to evening light. Specifically, 50% suppression of melatonin occurred at lux, which is comparable to or lower than typical indoor lighting used at night, as well as light produced by electronic devices. Significantly, there was a -fold difference in sensitivity to evening light across in iduals. Interin idual differences in light sensitivity may explain differential vulnerability to circadian disruption and subsequent impact on human health.
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 08-09-2023
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 29-06-2021
DOI: 10.1038/S41467-021-23890-7
Abstract: Attentional lapses occur commonly and are associated with mind wandering, where focus is turned to thoughts unrelated to ongoing tasks and environmental demands, or mind blanking, where the stream of consciousness itself comes to a halt. To understand the neural mechanisms underlying attentional lapses, we studied the behaviour, subjective experience and neural activity of healthy participants performing a task. Random interruptions prompted participants to indicate their mental states as task-focused, mind-wandering or mind-blanking. Using high-density electroencephalography, we report here that spatially and temporally localized slow waves, a pattern of neural activity characteristic of the transition toward sleep, accompany behavioural markers of lapses and preceded reports of mind wandering and mind blanking. The location of slow waves could distinguish between sluggish and impulsive behaviours, and between mind wandering and mind blanking. Our results suggest attentional lapses share a common physiological origin: the emergence of local sleep-like activity within the awake brain.
No related grants have been discovered for Angus Burns.