ºÚÁϳԹÏ×ÊÔ´

Consequences of night shift simulation on waking performance, sleep, circadian rhythmicity and brain function

The primary objective of this project is to establish translational research on the effects of simulated night shift work on waking performance, sleep, circadian rhythmicity, metabolic measures and molecular markers of brain function. The objective is also to investigate ways to counter these negative effects, particularly how light of different intensity and color quality impact on waking performance and brain function.

Pictures of humans and rats working night shift in blue and normal light
Photo: BSSG

Duration

From

About the research project

We live in a 24h society where a range of services are required around the clock. As a result, millions of people worldwide are working at times when the body is tuned to sleep. Night shift work is associated with impaired waking function and increased risk of accidents during work hours. There are also negative health effects associated with night shift work, such as sleep problems, metabolic syndrome, cardiac disease and certain types of cancer.

The Bergen Stress and Sleep group and collaborators work translationally to study the effects of simulated night shift work on waking performance, sleep, circadian rhythmicity, metabolic measures and molecular markers of brain function. We also investigate ways to counter these negative effects, particularly how light of different intensity and color quality impact on waking performance and brain function.

The project includes both human and animal experiments. We aim to find out how simulated night shift work and different light conditions affect:

  • Sleep quality and length
  • Waking function (alertness and cognitive performance)
  • Circadian rhythmicity
  • Brain function and protein synthesis
  • Energy intake and expenditure

Collaborators

  • Department of Psychosocial Science, ºÚÁϳԹÏ×ÊÔ´
  • Department of Biomedicine, ºÚÁϳԹÏ×ÊÔ´
  • Haukeland University Hospital
  • University of Groeningen, Netherlands
  • Washington State University, USA
  • University of Surrey, UK

Awards

  • 2015: Outstanding Scientific Contribution, 16th Nordic Sleep Conference, Gothenburg, Sweden.
    Night work – disturbances in sleep and circadian rhythm parameters. An animal model.
     
  • 2015: Abstract invited to be presented at Earlier career scientist symposium, 7th World Congress of the World Sleep Federation Istanbul, Turkey.
    Pedersen T, Mrdalj J, Meerlo P, Pallesen S, Skrede S, Marti A,  Wisor J, Murison R, Henriksen T, Grønli J. Sleep disturbances in rats after forced activity in resting phase. An animal model of night work.

Publications

Articles from this project

 Pedersen TT, Sunde E, Wisor J, Mrdalj J, Pallesen S, Grønli J. Nat Sci Sleep, 2022, 14:243-254

  Sunde E, Mrdalj J, Pedersen TT, Bjorvatn B, Grønli J, Harris A, Waage S, Pallesen S. Chronobiol Int, 2022, 39(7):948-963

 Marti AR, Pedersen T, Wisor JP, Mrdalj J, Holmelid Ø, Patil S, Meerlo P, Bramham CR, Grønli J. Sci Rep, 2020, 10(1), 13141.

 Sunde E, Pedersen T, Mrdalj J, Thun E, Grønli J, Harris A, Bjorvatn, B, Waage S, Skene DJ, Pallesen S. Clocks Sleep, 2020, 2(4): 502-522.

 Sunde E, Pedersen T, Mrdalj J, Thun E, Grønli J, Harris A, Bjorvatn, B, Waage S, Skene DJ, Pallesen S. Front Psychol, 2020,  11, 2172.

 Sunde E, Mrdalj J, Pedersen T, Thun E, Bjorvatn B, Grønli J, Harris A, Waage S, Pallesen S. Occup Environ Med, 2020, 77(4), 249-255.

Grønli J, Mrdalj J. The Journal of physiology, 2018, 596(12):2269-2270.

Marti AR, Patil S, Mrdalj J, Meerlo P, Skrede S, Pallesen S, Pedersen TT, Bramham CR, Grønli J. Frontiers in Neural Circuits, 2017 11(70). doi: 10.3389/fncir.2017.00070.

Grønli J, Meerlo P, Pedersen TT, Pallesen S, Skrede S, Marti AR, Wisor JP, Murison R, Henriksen TEG, Rempe MJ, Mrdalj J. J Biol Rhythm, 2017 Feb;32(1):48-63. doi: 10.1177/0748730416675460.

Marti AR, Meerlo P, Grønli J, van Hasselt SJ, Mrdalj J, Pallesen S, Pedersen TT, Henriksen TEG, Skrede S. Nutrients, 2016 Nov 8;8(11). doi:10.3390/nu8110712

 Rempe MJ, Grønli J, Pedersen TT, Mrdalj J, Marti AR, Meerlo P, Wisor JP. Neurobiology of Sleep and Circadian Rhythms, 2018, 5:37-51

Doctoral degrees

Andrea Rørvik Marti.  Link for .

Erlend Sunde.  Link for . 

Master degrees

Robin Bjorheim. 

Anna Elfrida Hovde Vollsund. 

Maiken Birkelid.

Øystein Holmelid.

Josien Janssen.

Andrea Rørvik Marti.

Torhild Pedersen.

People

Project members

Janne Grønli Professor