Genetic Research May Explain Night-Owl Tendencies
At last, I have something to use as an excuse for going to bed at 4:00 and getting up at 11:00.
A genetic mutation called the “after-hours gene” may explain why some people are night owls, it is revealed in Science journal today.
It could also hold clues for pharmacologists working to develop drugs to help people adjust to shift work or jet lag.
There are further implications for the study of causes of some psychiatric disorders.
The altered gene, named “after hours” or Afh, is a variant of a gene called Fbxl3, which had not been linked to the body clock that keeps our metabolism, digestion and sleep patterns in tune with the rising and setting of the sun.
By monitoring laboratory mice, scientists noticed that instead of following the typical 24-hour pattern some animals had body clocks that stretched to a 27-hour day.
It was then discovered that their DNA had the after-hours version of the Fbxl3 gene, one of a large family that controls the breakdown of specific proteins within body cells.