Abstract

This thesis will investigate the effect that Alzheimer’s disease, blindness, cancer, and Parkinson’s disease have on natural circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms are the biological cycles within our bodies that repeat themselves which can be observed in correspondence to a relative time frame of 24 hours. These cycles can be influenced by a wide variety of factors, both internal and external, such as the daily transitions between daylight and nightfall, an individual's diet or hunger tendencies, and the daily number of hours of sleep that a person gets. Should any of these cycles become disrupted, the result may be a deterioration of an array of physiological processes. In conjunction with pre-existing or pre-diagnosed diseases or conditions, one’s quality of life generally becomes worsened when paired with disrupted circadian rhythms. This thesis will further investigate and explain the relationship between the various diseases and their effects on natural circadian rhythms.

Keywords

Circadian, Circadian Rhythm, Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Cancer, Blindness

Document Type

Thesis

Year of Completion

2018

Advisor

Dr. Karin Melkonian

Academic Department

Health Sciences

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