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New discoveries on the body clock can be used to combat jet lag

Written by: David Castillo on November 28th, 2009

New discoveries on the body clock can be used to combat jet lag | read this item

New discoveries on how the body clock works could provide a clue to help combat jet lag.

A team of researchers from the University of Manchester studied cells, which play an important role in regulating a person’s body clock. The research indicates that the were active during day time.

The results can also be used to combat sleep disorders triggered by body clock malfunctions.

According to Professor Hugh Piggins, the research will try to introduce a new approach to tuning the body clock.

“The traditional model said the clock and the brain communicated to the rest of the brain via the number of electrical impulses that the brain cells were producing,” explained Dr. Hugh Piggins. “These impulses would travel around the brain, telling it what time of day it is. What we’ve found is in fact that there are at least two types of cells in this part of the brain.”

Piggins also said that the new discoveries can be used by the pharmaceutical industry to try to develop chemicals that can help counteract sleep disorders, like jet lag.

Source: BBC News