REVERSAL OF DIURNAL RHYTHMS OF WATER AND ELECTROLYTE EXCRETION IN MAN

• Published in: Journal of Endocrinology
• Main Author: SHARP, G. W. G.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Bioscientifica 1960
• Subjects: Endocrinology; Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism; Arctic; Spitsbergen
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1677/joe.0.0210097; https://joe.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/joe/21/1/joe_21_1_009.xml; https://joe.bioscientifica.com/downloadpdf/journals/joe/21/1/joe_21_1_009.xml

SUMMARY 1. In Spitsbergen, with Arctic summer conditions of 24 hr daylight, an investigation of the diurnal rhythms of water and electrolyte excretion has been carried out in six human subjects. Diet, activity and lighting were carefully controlled in a study of the effect of reversal of the activity—sleep routine upon these rhythms. 2. All subjects showed the same general pattern of diurnal rhythm and reversal after inversion of routine. 3. The time taken for the excretory rhythms to reverse varied in individual subjects, but for any one subject the rhythms for the elimination of water, sodium and potassium reversed in phase with each other. This suggests that one prime factor is controlling the rhythm. 4. The rhythms are dependent upon habit and environment. 5. The significance of these findings and their possible relationship to adrenocortical activity are discussed.