Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: KAREN CRISTINA PUGLIANE

Uma banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : KAREN CRISTINA PUGLIANE
DATE: 04/04/2024
TIME: 14:00
LOCAL: Sala da pós graduaç]ão Psicobiologia
TITLE:

INFLUENCE OF NONPHOTIC TIME CUES IN CIRCADIAN RHYTHM OF BLIND PEOPLE

KEY WORDS:

Visual Impairment, Circadian rhythms, Non-photic synchronization

PAGES: 75
BIG AREA: Ciências Humanas
AREA: Psicologia
SUBÁREA: Psicologia Fisiológica
SPECIALTY: Psicobiologia
SUMMARY:

Introduction: Non-entrained or abnormally phased circadian rhythms, as well as sleep disorders, have been associated with blind people with no perception of light living in high latitude regions. However, a preliminary study by the Laboratory of Neurobiology and Biological Rhythmicity, which is located at a low latitude close to the equator, with little seasonal variation (Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil), showed that most people with total blindness are synchronized with a period of 24 hours, indicating the influence of non-photic time cues. Objective: The present project aims to investigate whether non-photic cues, such as physical activity pattern, environmental temperature cycle/thermal sensation and pattern of eating behavior, are acting as Zeitgebers for the circadian rhythm of the rest/activity and sleep/wakefulness cycles of blind people. In addition, it aims to investigate the association of different types of circadian rhythm with sleep disorders in blind people. Methodology: The participants were interviewed with the following instruments: Socio-demographic questionnaire, including questions on perception of time and light, Munich Chronotype Questionnaire, Horne Ostberg Questionnaire, Index of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Berlin Questionnaire and Sleep Hygiene Index. Subsequently, participants used the actimeter for approximately 28 days and used a continuous glucose monitoring device for 14 days. Results: Were collecting 360 days of valid blood glucose data and 875 days of valid actimetry data.  At this stage of the study, the circadian rhythmicity of the participants' activity and rest rhythm was analyzed. As a result, 80% of participants expressed a rhythm of activity and rest within a 24-hour period. Using the circadian function index (IFC) to evaluate the robustness of the rhythm, only 16% of the sample presented IFC with low robustness (<0.5) while 27% of the sample was classified as moderate robustness and 57% of the sample had high robustness. (>0.6). When compared, the groups of participants with a 24-hour period (synchronized) or a period other than 24 hours (non-synchronized) did not show a statistically significant difference in intraday variability values (Z= 58, p= 0.49) , but the synchronized group showed higher Interdaily  stability (Z=111, p=0.04) and higher relative rhythm amplitude (Z=12168, p=0.02), compared to non-synchronized participants. In view of the questionnaires evaluated, the groups showed statistically significant differences for the sleep hygiene score (Z= 25, p= 0.02), in which the synchronized group presented better sleep hygiene (Median: 28) in relation to the not synchronized (Median:35). Conclusion: As expected, the majority of participants in the sample presented a rhythm of activity and rest synchronized with the light/dark cycle, with the beginning of activity coinciding with the beginning of the light phase and high robustness of circadian rhythmicity. The influence of non-photic factors on these results will be evaluated in the next stages of the study. We hope that these results will be important for the development of behavioral strategies of temporal organization that promote the adjustment of circadian rhythm and improve sleep quality in people with visual impairments.

 

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Interna - 1199136 - CAROLINA VIRGINIA MACEDO DE AZEVEDO
Interno - 1216466 - JOHN FONTENELE ARAUJO
Interna - 2140860 - ROVENA CLARA GALVAO JANUARIO ENGELBERTH