Circadian Rhythms and Their Importance to Humanise and other Animals Essay

Circadian Rhythms and Their Importance to Humanise and other Animals - Essay Example 649). It was significant to note that in this study 25% of the subjects presented arrhythmic Circadian Rhythm patterns and had a shorter life span by 50% compared to the animal subjects with normal circadian cycles. Kumar, Mohan and Kumar-Sharma (2005) in their study further found that the arrhythmic patterns found in the test group also had a correlation to the reproductive success of the mature species with 40% less than their rhythmic counterparts successfully producing viable offspring. The authors noted that although the study did not investigate the causal effects of this it does indicate that further study is necessary. It does, however, demonstrate that the circadian rhythm plays an integral, if not fully understood, role in the viability of the species - not only on an individual basis but also species wide. Doljansky, Kannety and Dagan (2005) note that circadian rhythm typically produced by period s of day and night are manifested in mammals in many of the physiological functions including "appetite, core body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, and various endocrine and metabolic variables" (p. 598). Much of the cycle is based upon the natural timing of daylight and night. As our study encompassed a full day, examples of the circadian cycle will be demonstrated readily thought each phase of the study with visible, predictable cyclic patterns emerging. Results of the study conducted confirm the findings of researchers that the blood pressure and pulse rate follow a Circadian Cycle. As seen in Appendix A which is the class study findings there is a distinct circadian cycle demonstrated for the pulse rate of the subjects with the peak pulse rate period falling in the 1800 reading systematically reducing to the low pulse rate period at 0600 before again gradually rising. These findings are supported by a study conducted by Moroni, et al (1998) which evaluated both severe cardiac impaired subjects and healthy control subjects. Results of their study found no significant difference in the blood pressure or pulse rate of either group. Rather, both groups exhibited a normal circadian cycle of both pulse rate and blood pressure which was contrary to their hypothesis. The second portion of the class study measured the cognitive functioning at two hour intervals during the day. As surmised in the hypothesis there should have been a distinct circadian cycle manifested. However, this was not the case with distinct functional differences noted by individuals across distinct time periods. What the findings did demonstrate are supported by Pardee, et al (2005) which examined the cognitive functioning to determine whether a universal circadian cycle was noted. Their findings showed that cognitive functioning ability is not solely evidenced by a universal circadian rhythm. Rather cognitive functioning ability is based on a combination of the circadian rhythm, personal preference (simply put day or night people) and the ability to compensate for 'down-time' periods in the circadian cycle through cognitive reserve. The motor skill portion of the study consisted of an eye hand coordination test. As hypothesized there were be a general pattern emerge indicative of a circadian cycle. Mean results showed that with only minimal variation the