Abstract:
The human circadian system responds to light as low as 30 photopic lux. Furthermore, recent evidence shows that there are huge individual differences in light sensitivity, which may help to explain why some people are more susceptible to sleep and circadian disruption than others. The biological mechanisms underlying the differences in light sensitivity remain largely unknown. A key variable of interest in understanding these individual differences in light sensitivity is biological sex. It is possible that in humans, males and females differ in their sensitivity to light, but the evidence is inconclusive. This is in part due to the historic exclusion of women in biomedical research. Hormonal fluctuations across the menstrual cycle in women has often been cited as a confound by researchers. Attitudes, however, are changing with funding and publication agencies advocating for more inclusive research frameworks and mandating that women and minorities participate in scientific research studies. In this article, we distill the existing knowledge regarding the relationship between light and the menstrual cycle. There is some evidence of a relationship between light and the menstrual cycle, but the nature of this relationship seems dependent on the timing of the light source (sunlight, moonlight, and electric light at night). Light sensitivity may be influenced by biological sex and menstrual phase but there might not be any effect at all. To better understand the relationship between light, the circadian system, and the menstrual cycle, future research needs to be designed thoughtfully, conducted rigorously, and reported transparently.
摘要:
人类昼夜节律系统对低至30明视勒克斯的光做出响应。此外,最近的证据表明,光敏感度存在巨大的个体差异,这可能有助于解释为什么有些人比其他人更容易受到睡眠和昼夜节律干扰的影响。光敏差异的生物学机制在很大程度上仍然未知。理解光敏感性的这些个体差异的关键变量是生物学性别。在人类中,男性和女性对光的敏感度不同,但证据不足.这在一定程度上是由于妇女在生物医学研究中的历史排斥。研究人员经常将女性月经周期中的荷尔蒙波动视为一种困惑。态度,然而,随着资金和出版机构倡导更具包容性的研究框架,并强制要求妇女和少数群体参与科学研究,正在发生变化。在这篇文章中,我们提炼出关于光与月经周期之间关系的现有知识。有一些证据表明光与月经周期之间存在关系,但是这种关系的性质似乎取决于光源(阳光,月光下,和电灯在晚上)。光敏感度可能受生物性别和月经期的影响,但可能根本没有任何影响。为了更好地理解光之间的关系,昼夜节律系统,和月经周期,未来的研究需要深思熟虑地设计,严格进行,并透明地报告。