Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Chronobiology of Depression

  • Conference paper
The Origins of Depression: Current Concepts and Approaches

Part of the book series: Dahlem Workshop Reports Life Sciences Research Report ((DAHLEM LIFE,volume 26))

Abstract

The temporal pattern of recurrent endogenous depression can be described and, to a certain extent, also explained in terms of chronobiology as resulting from entrainment to, and/or masking by, biological rhythms. Chronobiological hypotheses regarding the origin of depressive symptoms as such are less convincing. Internal desynchronization has never been clearly demonstrated to occur in depressives under the conditions of the 24h day, nor is there clear evidence of a latent dysfunction of the main circadian pacemaker during episodes of the disorder. There are, however, indications of a primary disturbance within the sleep-wake system that can be partially formulated within a theoretical model of biorhythmic functioning.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Aschoff, J. ed. 1981. Biological Rhythms. Handbook of Behavioral Neurobiology, vol. 4. New York, London: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Aschoff, J.; Hoffmann, K.; Pohl, H.; and Wever, R. 1975. Reentrainment of circadian rhythms after phase-shifts of the zeitgeber. Chronobiologia2: 23–78.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Avery, D.H.; WildschiØdtz, G.; and Rafaelsen, O.J. 1982. Nocturnal temperature in affective disorder. J. Affect. Dis. 4:61–71.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Borbély, A.A. 1982. A two process model of sleep regulation. Hum. Neurobiol. 1: 195–204.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Borbely, A.A., and Wirz-Justice, A. 1982. Sleep, sleep deprivation and depression. Hum. Neurobiol. 1: 205–210.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Brinkmann, K. 1976. The influence of alcohols on the circadian rhythm and metabolism of Euglena gracilis. J. Interdiscipl. Cycle Res. 7: 149–170.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Daan, S., and Beersma, D. 1983. Circadian gating of human sleep and wakefulness. In Mathematical Modeling of Circadian Systems, ed. M.C. Moore-Ede. New York: Raven Press, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Dirlich, G.; Kammerloher, A.; Schulz, H.; Lund, R.; Doerr, P.; and von Zerssen, D. 1981. Temporal coordination of rest-activity cycle, body temperature, urinary free Cortisol, and mood in a patient with 48-hour unipolar-depressive cycles in clinical and time-cue-free environments. Biol. Psychiat. 16:163–179.further references in, e.g. (1, 24, 31, 36).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Engelmann, W. 1973. A slowing down of circadian rhythms by lithium ions. Z. Naturforsch. 28: 733–736.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Giedke, H.; Gaertner, H.J.; and Mahal, A. 1982. Diurnal variation of urinary MHPG in unipolar and bipolar depressives. Acta Psychiat. Scand. 66: 243–253.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Halberg, F. 1968. Physiologic considerations underlying rhythmometry, with special reference to emotional illness. In Cycles Biologiques et Psychiatric Symposium Bel-Air III, ed. J. de Ajuriaguerra, pp. 73–126. Geneve: Georg; Paris: Masson.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Jenner, F.A.; Goodwin, J.C.; Sheridan, M.; Tauber, I.J.; and Lobban, M.C. 1968. The effect of an altered time regime on biological rhythms in a 48-hour periodic psychosis. Br. J. Psychiat. 114: 215–222.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Kamei, B.; Davison, H.; Gross, S.; Hill, C; Richardson, G.; Seidel, W.; Weber, S.; Whitson, P.; Zarcone, V.; Miles, L.; and Dement, W. 1978. Sleep parameters of narcoleptic females who were isolated from all time cues. Sleep Res. 7: 235.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Knowles, J.B.; MacLean, A.W.; and Cairns, J. 1982. REM sleep abnormalities in depression: A test of the phase-advance-hypothesis. Biol. Psychiat. 17: 605–609.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Kripke, D.F.; Mullaney, D.J.; Atkinson, M.; and Wolf,S. 1978. Circadian rhythm disorders in manic-depressives. Biol. Psychiat. 13: 335–351.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Kupfer, D.J.; Gillin, J.C; Coble, P.A.; Spiker, D.G.; Shaw, D.; and Holzer, B. 1981. REM sleep, naps, and depression. Psychiat. Res. 5: 195–203.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Lewy, A.J.; Wehr, T.A.; Goodwin, F.K.; Newsome, D.A.; and Rosenthal, N.E. 1981. Manic-depressive patients may be supersensitive to light. Lancet I: 383–384.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Lund, R.; Kammerloher, A.; and Dirlich, G. 1983. Body temperature in endogenously depressed patients during depression and remission. In Circadian Rhythms in Psychiatry. Neuroscience Series, eds. T.A. Wehr and F.K.Goodwin. Los Angeles: Boxwood Press, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Mellerup, E.T.; Widding, A.; Wildschiodtz, G.; and Rafaelsen, O.J. 1978. Lithium effect on temperature rhythm in psychiatric patients. Acta Pharmacol. (Kbh.) 42: 125–129.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Miles, G.H. 1962. Telemetering techniques for periodicity studies. Ann. NY Acad. Sci. 98: 858–865.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Pflug, B.; Erikson, R.; and Johnsson,A. 1976. Depression and daily temperature. A long-term study. Acta Psychiat. Scand. 54: 254–266.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Pflug, B.; Johnsson, A.; and Ekse,A.T. 1981. Manic-depressive states and daily temperature. Some circadian studies. Acta Psychiat. Scand. 63: 277–289.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Pugnetti, L.; Colombo, A.; Cazzullo, C.L.; Leccardi, G.; Sicuro, F.; and Scarone, S. 1982. Daytime sleep patterns of primary depressives: A morning nap study. Psychiat. Res. 7: 287–298.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Rubin, R.T., and Poland, R.E. 1982. The chronoendocrinology of endogenous depression. In Neuroendocrine Perspectives, eds. E.E. Müller and R.M. MacLeod, vol. 1, pp. 305–337. Amsterdam, New York, Oxford: Elsevier Biomedical Press.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Schilgen, B., and Tolle, R. 1980. Partial sleep deprivation as therapy for depression. Arch. Gen. Psychiat. 37: 267–271.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Schulz, H., and Tetzlaff,W. 1982. Distribution of REM latencies af ter sleep interruption in depressive patients and control subjects. Biol. Psychiat. 17: 1367–1376.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Schulz, H.; Wilde-Frenz, J.; Simon, O.; Wever, R.; and Ruther,E. 1983. Sleep-wake rhythm in a narcoleptic patient under normal en trained conditions and during isolation from time cues. In Sleep 1982, ed. W.P. Koella, pp. 336–338. Basel, Munich, Paris, London, New York, Tokyo, Sidney: Karger.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Schwartz, W.J., and Gainer, H. 1977. Suprachiasmatic nucleus: Use of 14c-labeled deoxyglucose uptake as a functional marker. Science 197: 1089–1091.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Schweiger, H.-G., and Schweiger, M. 1977. Circadian rhythms in unicellular organisms: An endeavor to explain the molecular mechanism. Int. Rev. Cytol. 51:315–342.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Taub, J.M., and Berger, R.J. 1974. Acute shifts in the sleepwakefulness cycle: Effects on performance and mood. Psychosom. Med. 36: 164–173.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Wehr, T.A., and Goodwin, F.K. 1981. Biological rhythms and psychiatry. In American Handbook of Psychiatry, Advances and New Directions, 2nd ed., ed. S. Arieti, vol. 7, pp. 46–74. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Wehr, T.A.; Goodwin, F.K.; Wirz-Justice, A.; Breitmaier, J.; and Craig, C. 1982. 48-hour sleep-wake cycles in manic-depressive illness. Naturalistic observations and sleep deprivation experiments. Arch. Gen. Psychiat. 39: 559–565.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Wehr, T.A., and Wirz-Justice, A. 1982. Circadian rhythm mechanisms in affective illness and in antidepressant drug action. Pharmacopsychiat. 15:31–39.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Weitzman, E.D.; Czeisler, C.A.; and Moore-Ede, M.C. 1979. Sleepwake, neuroendocrine and body temperature circadian rhythms under entrained and non-entrained (free-running) conditions in man. In Biological Rhythms and Their Central Mechanism, eds. M. Suda, O. Hayaishi, and H. Nakagawa, pp. 199–227. Amsterdam, New York, Oxford: Elsevier/North-Holland.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Wetterberg, L. 1981. Pineal organ: Clinical aspects. In The Pineal Organ: Photobiology -Biochronometry -Endocrinology, eds. A.Oksche and P. Pevet, pp. 345–354. Amsterdam, New York, Oxford: Elsevier/North-Holland.

    Google Scholar 

  36. Wever, R.A. 1979. The Circadian System of Man. New York, Heidelberg, Berlin: Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  37. Wirz-Justice, A., and Richter, R. 1979. Seasonality in biochemical determinations : A source of variance and a clue to the temporal incidence of affective illness. Psychiat. Res. 1: 53–60.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Zerssen, D. von; Dirlich, G., and Fischler,M. 1983. The influence of an abnormal time routine and therapeutic measures on 48-hour cycles of affective disorders: Chronobiological considerations. In Circadian Rhythms in Psychiatry. Neuroscience Series, eds. T.A.Wehr and F.K.Goodwin. Los Angeles: Boxwood Press, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Zulley, J., and Wever, R.A. 1982. Interaction between the sleep-wake cycle and the rhythm of rectal temperature. In Vertebrate Circadian Systems. Structure and Physiology, eds. J. Aschoff, S. Daan, and G.A. Groos, pp. 253–261. Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Max-Planck-lnstitut für Psychiatrie, 8000, München 40, F.R. Germany

    D. von Zerssen

Authors
  1. D. von Zerssen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

J. Angst

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1983 Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, Tokyo: Springer-Verlag.

About this paper

Cite this paper

von Zerssen, D. (1983). Chronobiology of Depression. In: Angst, J. (eds) The Origins of Depression: Current Concepts and Approaches. Dahlem Workshop Reports Life Sciences Research Report, vol 26. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-69129-4_16

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-69129-4_16

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-69131-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-69129-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation