Anxiety, autism, schizophrenia, and Tourette syndrome each have their own distinguishing characteristics, but a new study asks if circadian rhythm disruption may bridge these and most other mental disorders.
In a new study in the journal Translational Psychiatry, scientists hypothesize that circadian rhythm disruption (CRD) is a psychopathology factor that a broad range of mental illnesses share. Research into its molecular foundation could be key to unlocking better therapies and treatments.
“Circadian rhythms play a fundamental role in all biological systems at all scales, from molecules to populations,” says senior author Pierre Baldi, professor of computer science at the University of California, Irvine. “Our analysis found that circadian rhythm disruption is a factor that broadly overlaps the entire spectrum of mental health disorders.”…