What is the Origin of SCN Peripheral Desynchrony?

This is a key concept in chronobiology, describing a pathological state where the body's internal timing system is fractured. SCN refers to the master clock, and peripheral denotes the subordinate clocks in the body's organs. Desynchrony is the lack of temporal coordination between the central and peripheral oscillators.

What is the Mechanism of SCN Peripheral Desynchrony?

The SCN is primarily entrained by the light-dark cycle, while peripheral clocks are highly sensitive to feeding times. When a person eats late at night, the food signal shifts the peripheral clocks forward, even though the SCN remains aligned with the dark phase. This conflict results in organs operating under different time cues, leading to inappropriate hormonal release and metabolic activity, such as liver gluconeogenesis occurring during the feeding phase.

SCN Peripheral Desynchrony ∞ Area

SCN Peripheral Desynchrony

Meaning

A state of misalignment where the circadian rhythms of peripheral metabolic organs, such as the liver, pancreas, and adipose tissue, become decoupled from the central master clock located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, or SCN. This desynchrony is often induced by behavioral factors like chronic jet lag, shift work, or mistimed feeding, leading to conflicting metabolic signals and profound metabolic dysfunction. It represents a fundamental breakdown in chronobiological organization.