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Review
. 2024 Apr 29:15:1328139.
doi: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1328139. eCollection 2024.

Circadian dysfunction and cardio-metabolic disorders in humans

Natalia Marhefkova  1   2 , Martin Sládek  3 , Alena Sumová  3 , Michal Dubsky  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Circadian dysfunction and cardio-metabolic disorders in humans

Natalia Marhefkova et al. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). .

Abstract

The topic of human circadian rhythms is not only attracting the attention of clinical researchers from various fields but also sparking a growing public interest. The circadian system comprises the central clock, located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus, and the peripheral clocks in various tissues that are interconnected; together they coordinate many daily activities, including sleep and wakefulness, physical activity, food intake, glucose sensitivity and cardiovascular functions. Disruption of circadian regulation seems to be associated with metabolic disorders (particularly impaired glucose tolerance) and cardiovascular disease. Previous clinical trials revealed that disturbance of the circadian system, specifically due to shift work, is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. This review is intended to provide clinicians who wish to implement knowledge of circadian disruption in diagnosis and strategies to avoid cardio-metabolic disease with a general overview of this topic.

Keywords: cardiovascular disease risk; circadian clock; circadian rhythm disruption; glucose tolerance; insulin sensitivity; time restricted eating; type 2 diabetes mellitus.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The peripheral circadian clock is regulated by the central clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) through responses to hormones, the neurological system, physical activity, and eating habits. Created in BioRender.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Comparison of sleep assessment methods by levels of accuracy.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The central clock, located in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus (SCN), synchronizes clocks in peripheral organs through various neuronal and humoral pathways. Glucose tolerance is directly regulated by circadian rhythm via the neuroendocrine system.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Factors contributing to circadian disruption.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. Supported by the National Institute of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases Research (EXCELES programme, ID: LX22NPO5104) - Funded by the European Union - Next Generation EU.
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