Human Chronobiology – Inserm U846

Human Chronobiology - Inserm U846

Department of Chronobiology

Human Chronobiology

Contact: Claude  
Gronfier
Position: Senior Research Scientist (tenure)
Address: 18 avenue Doyen Lepine, 69500
City: Bron-Lyon
Country: France
Contact Email: Contact laboratory
RESEARCH DOMAIN: Basic Human, Clinical
KEYWORDS: Behavioural Sleep Disorders, Biological Rhythms, Light and Non-Classical Photoreception, Sleep Physiology-Neurophysiology in Human, Sleep and Ageing

CURRENT ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Laboratory Description:

Mechanisms of circadian entrainment/synchronization
Effects of light on circadian and non-visual physiology
Non-visual photoreception in humans
Effects of age on circadian and non-visual physiology
Optimization of environmental lighting for circadian synchronization
Photic countermeasures to circadian misalignment (shift work, space class missions, polar bases, etc.)

KEY Publications of the Laboratory:

• Gronfier C, Luthringer R, Follenius M, Schaltenbrand N, Macher JP, Muzet A, Brandenberger G. Temporal link between plasma thyrotropin levels and electroencephalographic activity in man. Neurosci Lett 1995; 200:97-100.

• Gronfier C, Luthringer R, Follenius M, Schaltenbrand N, Macher JP, Muzet A, Brandenberger G. A quantitative evaluation of the relationships between growth hormone secretion and delta wave electroencephalographic activity during normal sleep and after enrichment in delta waves. Sleep 1996; 19:817-24.

• Chapotot F, Gronfier C, Spiegel K, Luthringer R, Brandenberger g. Relationships between iPTH 24-hour profiles, sleep-wake cycle and sleep electroencephalographic activity in man. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1996; 81:3759-65.

• Spiegel K, Weibel L, Gronfier C, Brandenberger G, Follenius M. Twenty-four hour prolactin profile in night workers. Chronobiol. Int 1996; 13:283-93.

• Brandenberger G, Luthringer R, Muller G, Gronfier C, Schaltenbrand N, Macher JP, Muzet A, Follenius M. 5-HT2 receptors are partially involved in the relationship between renin release and delta relative power. J Endocrinol Invest 1996; 19:556-62.

• Gronfier C, Luthringer R, Follenius M, Schaltenbrand N, Macher JP, Muzet A, Brandenberger G. Temporal relationships between pulsatile cortisol secretion and electroencephalographic activity during sleep in man. Electroenceph clin Neurophysiol 1997; 103:405-8.

• Weibel L, Spiegel K, Gronfier C, Follenius M, Brandenberger G. 24-hour melatonin and body temperature rhythms: their adaptation in night workers. Am J Physiol (Regulatory Integr Comp Physiol) 1997; 41:R948-54.

• Otzenberger H, Simon C, Gronfier C, Brandenberger G. Temporal relationship between dynamic heart rate variability and electroencephalographic activity during sleep in man. Neurosci Lett 1997; 229:173-6.

• Weibel L, Follenius M, Spiegel K, Gronfier C, Brandenberger G. Growth hormone secretion in night workers. Chronobiol Int 1997; 14:49-60.

• Charloux A, Otzenberger H, Gronfier C, Lonsdorfer-Wolf E, Piquard F, Brandenberger G. Oscillations in sympathovagal balance oppose variations in delta-wave activity and the associated renin release. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1998; 83:1523-28.

• Goichot B, Weibel L, Chapotot F, Gronfier C, Brandenberger G. Effect of the shift of the sleep-wake cycle on: studies on three robust endocrine markers of the circadian clock. Am J Physiol (Endocrinol Metab) 1998; 275:E243-8.

• Gronfier C, Chapotot F, Weibel L, Jouny C, Piquard F, Brandenberger G. Pulsatile cortisol secretion and EEG delta waves are controlled by two independent but synchronized generators. Am J Physiol (Endocrinol Metab) 1998; 275:E94-100.

• Simon C, Gronfier C, Goichot B, Schlienger Jl, Brandenberger G. Circadian and ultradian variation of leptin in normal man under continuous enteral nutrition: relationship to sleep and body temperature. J Clin Endocr Metab 1998; 83:1893-9.

• Otzenberger H, Gronfier C, Charloux A, Ehrarht J, Piquard F, Brandenberger G. Dynamic heart variability: a tool for exploring the sympatho-vagal balance continuously: during sleep in man. Am J Physiol 1998; 275 (Heart Circul Physiol 44): H946-H950

• Chapotot F, Gronfier C, Jouny C, Buguet A, Brandenberger G. Cortisol secretion is related to electroencephalographic alertness in Human subjects during daytime wakefulness. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1998; 83:4263-8.

• Charloux A, Gronfier C, Lonsdorfer-Wolf E, Piquard F, Brandenberger G. Aldosterone release and the sleep-wake cycle in humans. Am J Physiol 1999; (Endocrinol Metab) 276:E43-9.

• Gronfier C, Simon C, Piquard F, Ehrhart J, Brandenberger G. Neuroendocrine processes underlying ultradian sleep regulation in man. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1999;84:2686-90.

• Brandenberger G, Gronfier C, Chapotot F, Simon C, Piquard F. 24-h Effect of sleep deprivation on overall 24 h growth-hormone secretion. Lancet 2000; 356:1408.

• Charloux A, Gronfier C, Chapotot F, Ehrhart J, Piquard F, Brandenberger G. Sleep deprivation blunts the nighttime increase in aldosterone release in humans. J Sleep Res 2001; 10:27-33.

• Chapotot F, Buguet A, Gronfier C, Brandenberger G. Hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis activity is related to the level of central arousal: effect of sleep deprivation on the association of high-frequency waking electroencephalogram with cortisol release. Neuroendocrinology 2001; 73:312-321.

• Gronfier C, Wright KP, Jewett ME, Kronauer RE, Czeisler CA. Efficacy of a single sequence of intermittent bright light pulses for delaying circadian phase in humans Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2004; 287:E174-E181.

• Wright KP, Gronfier C, Duffy JF, Czeisler CA. Intrinsic circadian period and strength of the circadian synchronizer determines the phase relationship between melatonin onset, habitual sleep time and the light-dark cycle in humans. J Biol Rhythms 2005; 20:168-177.

• Dkhissi-Benyahya O, Gronfier C, Devanssay W, Flamant W, Cooper HM. Modelling the role of mid-wavelength cones in circadian responses to light, Neuron. 2007; Mar 1;53(5):677-87.

• St. Hilaire M, Gronfier C, Zeitzer JM, Klerman EB. A physiologically-based mathematical model of melatonin including ocular light suppression and interactions with the circadian pacemaker. J Pineal Res. 2007; Oct;43(3):294-304.

• Gronfier C, Wright KP, Jewett ME, Kronauer RE, Czeisler CA. Entrainment of the human circadian timing system to longer-than-24 h days. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007, May 22;104(21):9081-6.

COLLABORATIONS:

  • Title:  PhD Name:  Christian Cajochen Position: Head, Chronobiology Lab. Institution: Basel University Email: 
  • Title:  PhD Name:  Steve Lockley Position: Associate Professor Institution: Harvard Medical School Email: 
  • Title:  PhD, MD Name:  Elisabeth B Klerman Position: Associate Professor Institution: Harvard Medical School Email: 
  • Title:  PhD Name:  Jacques Taillard Position: Senior Researcher Institution: Université de Bordeaux Email: 
  • Title:  PhD Name:  Kenneth P Wright Position: Associate Professor Institution: University of Boulder, Colorado Email: 
  • Title:  PhD Name:  Dominique Dumortier Position: Professor Institution: ENTPE, Lyon Email: