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INTRODUCTION
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In coi~trast to thut what has been Observed in most animals, changes in some
environmental conditions (e. g. light ir~tensity) have only small and i r r e g u l a r ef-
fects on the period of human circadian rhythms when m e a s u r e d under constant
conditions (Wever, 1969). Thus, the intra-individual as well as the i n t e r -
individual variability in the f r e e - r u n n i n g period of man is r e m a r k a b l y small.
229
RESULTS
Time ( h o u r s )
O 12 Z,4 lZ 24 72 24 72 2/4 ~2 Z,/¢
F i g . 3. F r e e - r u n n i n g c i r c a d i a n r h y t h m in a human subject, m e a s u r e d
under c o n s t a n t conditions; without field d u r i n g the f i r s t and t h i r d
section, and u n d e r the influence of an a r t i f i c i a l e l e e t r i e 1 0 - c p s -
field d u r i n g the second s e c t i o n . Designations as in F i g s . 1 and 2.
Internal d e s y n c h r o n i z a t i o n during the 'third s e c t i o n . F r o m W e v e r
(1968).
.....+'i'~7.~-£'::->75==::.,:
: , ~ ~-. :::=:.::rLC.,.=i÷:~" .'
I I I I ,2,i~ I I i I
0 6 12 18 6 12 18 24
T#'ne of de), (hours)
F i g . 4. A c t o g r a m of a g r e e n finch, showing a f r e e - r u n n i n g c i r c a d i a n r h y t h m
m e a s u r e d u n d e r e o n s t a g t conditions; under the influence of an a r t i f i -
e i a l e l e c t r i c 1 0 - e p s - f i e l d d u r i n g the f i r s t and t h i r d section, and
without field during the second and fourth s e c t i o n . A b s c i s s a : l o c a l
t i m e ; o r d i n a t e : t i m e of t h e e x p e r i m e n t . F o r e l a r i t y , the a c t i v i t y
r e c o r d s have b e e n duplicated.
231
CONCLUSIONS
in a s i m i l a r manner (see above) but also different independent clocks within one
o r g a n i s m in the same manner (Wever, in preparation). The consideration of these
r e s u l t s may lead to new conceptions in the a r e a of the clock m e c h a n i s m .
(4) The present investigations a r o u s e s speculations concerning the usefulness of
the natural electromagnetic fields for man. When these fields a r e absent, the
f r e e - r u n n i n g circadian period deviates m o r e f r o m 24 hr than under the influence
of these fields. Since the range of e~trainment in man is r e m a r k a b l y small
(Aschoff, P~ippet and Wever, 1969), at least for the physiological v a r i a b l e s (about
+ 2 hr; Wever, 1973), this deviation can lead to external desynchronization.
~Ioreover, the absence of natural fields weakens the coupling between different
rhythms, and thus, can lead to it~ternal desynchronization. It must be concluded
f r o m this that natural e l e c t r o m a g n e t i c fields a s s i s t in stabilizing circadian
rhythmicity; t h e i r p r e s e n c e may be advantageous for healthy men, at least with
r e s p e c t to t h e i r circadian rhythms. Where these fields a r e absent (e.g. under
e l e c t r o m a g n e t i c shielding, or in space), disadvantages can easily be avoided by
substituting the natural fields by a weak e l e c t r i c 10-cps-field (Wever, 1970).
REFERENCES